I swear, if I was a paranoid Celtic fan, I would say that there is a concerted effort from some people in the Scottish media and punditry game to discredit Celtic defender Carl Starfelt.
Ever since his debut own goal against Hearts last season where the Swede got straight off a flight from Russia and into a Celtic strip the press, in my opinion, have had it in for him.
Tom English is one that continually criticised Starfelt and as reported many times on Vital Celtic, pundit and journalist Hugh Keevins seems to have a serious issue with him.
Speaking on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard, Keevins said of Starfelt, “Carl Starfelt is making an outstanding case for Kobayashi playing from now on.
“He is. What can I say? He is an inadequate player.”
Look, I am not blind. I know that there is a mistake in Starfelt. But there is a mistake in every player in the team. His just seem to be highlighted more by the media.
The problem with mistakes in defenders is it can lead to goals and even at that, I can’t think of many Starfelt mistakes that have cost us them.
The issue I have with this type of criticism is that Starfelt was offered very little praise for his part in Celtic’s defence last season.
We had the meanest back line in the SPFL last season, I didn’t see quite the same media clamour to praise the defender as there is to drag him down every time he makes a mistake.
Starfelt is an international defender with five caps for his country and is a league and cup double winner
Calling him ‘inadequate’ or ‘bang average‘ (as he did on a few occasions on the show) is downright disrespectful.
This campaign against our player needs to stop.
you are correct Paddy…..everybody can make a mistake even JOE HART ,,,,,he got no praise whatsoever from the media and many CELTIC fans for playing his part in last years league win …….when he wasnt there we missed him !
Your own comment says enough.
Pity all these dinosaurs could not do their jobs that they have been in for years and never found out, jealousy is a bad thing Carl is a tremendous asset to Celtic .
Disrespectful, he had a howler, this is what this apology of a journalist has been waiting for, if Keevins was as honest at his job, he should be so lucky.
I agree that Starfelt is being unfairly undermined by certain pundits.Players like Joe Hart have a mistake in them too but it’s if there’s an agenda against particular players.Daizen and Kyogo have had harsh treatment too yet the same pundit let Kent’s long term underachievement go almost unnoticed.Wonder why?
Starfelt is not good enough for Celtic , he cost 4.5 million
and cannot be dropped because of his cost
Welsh is better ..
I watch Starfelt in every game , he’s a cart horse no finesse and gives free kicks or penalties
But the other players carry him
Joe Heart is another massive worry , he loses concentration constantly not good enough for Bolton but playes every week for Celtic
I’m a Celtic fan, not remotely biased, and I’ve said for long enough that Starfelt is not Celtic material. He’s too slow, can’t pass the ball well and is a bombscare in defence. Moritz Jens is a far superior player.
The issue is that next to CCV he makes more mistakes and therefore it is more obvious that he is a liability. If we want to have a rock solid defence then we need to have a second centre back with the solidity of CCV.
If Hugh Keevins was as good a sports reporter as Starfelt is a player, he would have room to talk. Unfortunately he isn’t and he talks a load of rubbish. Starfelt is part of the meanest defence in the premiership and makes some amazing interceptions. He also makes runs forward and invariably gets his pass away to a team mate. Keevins is an old donkey who should be put out to grass.
Keevens though is an inadequate journalist, so ah wouldn’t worry too much about his opinion…
HH
if starfelt was at sevco he’d be the best the league had ever seen
Seriously! Apart from himself, who do you know who has ever listened to or paid any attention to anything he writes?
I for one certainly don’t!
Who cares? These guys have an agenda. We know that. Ever since ‘Thugs and Thieves’ Celtic supporters buy less of the mainstream rags and listen less to their pathetic phone ins. Their constituency is the other side. Therefore more negative stuff about us more positive stuff about them sells. Can you imagine if it was us who were systematically cheating for years. We would no longer exist. But they were reluctant to investigate their crimes and less to report it. They did but only because it was a huge story. Remember R.I.P and then the same club myth in the same week. That is because they need to customers and printing stuff about Celtics superiority is not going to sell copy or get listeners. These idiots need to earn a living. And they will compromise to do it. Simple. Why bother?
Paddy,
Hugh Keevins et al are not wrong but can sometimes go overboard in their criticism. Starfelt is one of the poorest CB’s we’ve had in years. The stats back this up. Citing his successful pairing with CCV is no barometer of how good he is. Teams tend to park the bus against us so he is not under a great deal of pressure. He seems to go to pieces in high pressure matches. He is constantly caught under the ball and resorts to pushing players in the lower back to gain an advantage and his passing is wildly erratic. Starfelt and Bernabei have been two terrible buys and it is time we as fans admitted this. All this ‘In Ange we trust’ has to stop. Ange is not infallible. No one is!
Robert
Ange has got their measure. He stares them down and makes them look fools when they spout their mince.