Celtic stuck to their strategy of signing highly-rated youngsters even though fans had been hoping that some established players would be brought in, who could make an immediate impact in the Champions League. Unfortunately, the club’s experience was on full show in their group stage opener against Feyenoord.
Celtic were a goal down but still were in the game when Gustaf Lagerbielke and Odin Thiago Holm were sent off in quick succession. The situation was even worse for the latter, who had been brought on just ten minutes earlier.
Going down to nine men ended any hopes that Celtic might have had of mounting a comeback on the day. And interestingly, Holm was not brought off the bench in the following match against Livingston, although a lot of that might have been due to the fact that Brendan Rodgers’ side were already down to ten men with Joe Hart being sent off at the weekend.
As reported by GIVEMESPORT, journalist Dean Jones said about Holm:
"“It’s part of a learning curve for a young player. You go into a game like that, and it’s something that you’ve got to bounce back from quickly. The most interesting thing will be how Rodgers feels about trusting him for the future and what games he puts him into.“Rodgers won’t let this one moment deter him from picking any more. He’s a good talent who can be a big player for Celtic in the future. But, whatever it was, the occasion or the moment got to him, and Rodgers will have to reflect on why that was and, next time he puts him into a game of that nature, when and where can he do it? So, it’s a problem for the player because that was a big opportunity for him. But it’s also something for Rodgers to ponder.”"
Celtic player sent clear message after major mistake
Of course, in the grand scheme of things, the red card against Feyenoord should have much of an impact on Holm’s long-term career at Celtic Park. But at the same time, it can create some doubts in Rodgers’ mind about whether he can trust the Norwegian in high-pressure situations.
Let’s see how much playing time he gets moving forward. Holm has been one of the more impressive of the summer signings to be very honest. One of the few to have made a positive impression till now.
He is nowhere near a starting spot at the moment though and with competition for places high in the middle of the park, Holm needs to bounce back quickly and show the manager what he is capable of. Rodgers has a lot of experience in the bag and one would think that he should not have much problem navigating the situation.