Victor Wanyama’s in-house replacement
Three years after joining from Maccabi Haifa Beram Kayal has still to fully prove himself in a Celtic jersey but supporters have seen enough to believe that the Israeli internationalist can fill the gap created by Wanyama’s move.
Kayal has put in some impressive stints in a Celtic jersey but injury and the emergence of Wanyama have hampered his progress.
In the first weeks of Neil Lennon’s reign it looked life Efrain Juarez would be an obstacle to Kayal’s progress but by the end of the 2010/11 season the Israeli had cemented his place in the side with Juarez heading out the door.
Whenever Lennon sits down to review his Celtic days the 2-0 win at Ibrox in December 2010 will surely go down as a watershed moment.
Leading upto the match the debut of Freddi Ljungberg seemed to provide Celtic with their only hope of achieving a result but a recast side featuring Thomas Rogne and Daniel Majstorovic in defence with a midfield including Kayal, Paddy McCourt and Charlie Mulgrew fashioned an unlikely win thanks to two goals from Georgios Samaras.
Kayal was in his pomp bossing the Rangers midfield making 40-60 challenges his own as Lee McCulloch and Steve Davis chased shadows.
The promise of that performance has never been repeated on a consistent basis with injuries partly to blame.
Centre midfield has been the most competitive area of the Celtic side over the last two seasons with Kayal making just 19 starting appearances last season in the SPL.
After a proper summer break, while many of his team-mates have been away on international duty, Kayal has been in pre-season training since day one in preparation for the new campaign.
The feedback has been impressive with hopes high among the coaching staff that the 25-year-old is about to deliver on the potential that he’s hinted at since an impressive home debut against Utrecht.
While a £10m plus fee for Wanyama is very welcome there isn’t the same urgency to use the money as there was when Aiden McGeady was sold to Spartak Moscow.
That deal largely funded the current Celtic squad and last season’s Champions League campaign.
Kayal looked on from the substitute’s bench last season as Wanyama made his name known in the Champions League- the next few weeks could see the popular midfielder re-establish his place at the centre of Celtic’s plans- domestically and in Europe.
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