Celtic’s defensive problems this season have been well-documented, with the decision to loan Shane Duffy from Brighton now looking like a massive error of judgement from the recruitment department.
However, the centre-back position has been an issue for a long time and some supporters have been asking why one defender, Erik Sviatchenko, was let go.
The Danish international was playing in the Champions League group stages for FC Midtjylland this season and, while not all fans on Twitter agree Sviatchenko was good enough for the Hoops, the decision not to replace him properly is a source of regret:
Huge mistake but we seem to experts at that via The Accountant
— William Milligan (@DubaiHoops) January 14, 2021
100% should have kept him ?☘️
— Danny Knox (@Knoxyd_85) January 14, 2021
Sold him to make way for Martin Compper, Big mistake
— Black Jack Daniels (@8b769aa66e024cc) January 14, 2021
Usual Celtic over judgement
Captained his team in the Champions League, this seasonAnd Simunovic should’ve been kept on too
Be careful what you wish for – Republic of Ireland Centre half must be a good player – Doh !— alan hopper (@aldohops) January 14, 2021
The mistake wasnt letting him leave. It was not bringing in the right person to replace him.
— Kevin Hackett (@KevinHa26255509) January 14, 2021
Always thought we let him go too soon, far better defender than simunovic
— Ross McCluskey (@RossMcCluskey) January 14, 2021
Had some leap on him
— Joe Walker (@CelticWalks67) January 14, 2021
Never wanted to leave another mistake solid know how to defend
— Paradise (@67HolyGrd) January 14, 2021
Sviatchenko spent just two years in Scotland before moving back to Denmark. The 29-year-old has always said he was reluctant to leave but he wasn’t a player that was rated by then-manager Brendan Rodgers.
Since then, Celtic have used the likes of Filip Benkovic, Jozo Simunovic, Nir Bitton, Kristoffer Ajer, Christopher Jullien and the aforementioned Duffy at centre-half but most of those players never really made an impact or stayed around.
