Two months ago it would have been the most ridiculous suggestion imaginable but last night it was drawing a little support, led by a perhaps not so light-hearted suggestion from Brian McNally.
Despite the commendable result in Lille it was another tough shift for Shane Duffy in the centre of the Celtic defence, things just didn’t go the way of the on-loan defender.
True he was wronged against when Lille were awarded a first half penalty for a trip outside the box which thankfully Scott Bain saved. However, it didn’t disguise the fact that Duffy had been drawn into an unnecessary challenge which just about summed up his night.
The way #Celtic central defensive options are shrinking, trying to bring back Jack Henry from his Belgian loan may not be quite as daft as it sounds. No matter the stick Jack got from many fans, his form was never as bad or costly as Duffy’s. https://t.co/zga4ell50o
— Brian McNally (@McNallyMirror) October 29, 2020
Are you calling for divine intervention that error-strewn Duffy proves himself better than hapless Hendry.?
— Brian McNally (@McNallyMirror) October 30, 2020
McNally was the Sunday Mirror’s man in the north-east for decades, Newcastle might provide him with a local interest but the only team that he cares for wears green and white hoops.
As Lille pushed for goals in the second half Celtic’s defensive line backed off and backed off with Duffy struggling to cope with the intensity of the pressure.
Eight minutes into the second half Kris Ajer suffered a muscle injury as the incredible toll on Celtic’s central defenders continued. Chris Jullien watched the match from Germany where he is undergoing tests to determine the extent of his back injury, Nir Bitton and Hatem Abd Elhamed returned positive tests during international duty which has opened the door for Stephen Welsh to be parachuted in for high profile fixtures.
Meanwhile out in Belgium Jack Hendry is enjoying the best run of form and fixtures since late in 2017 when he was attracting the eye of Brendan Rodgers in the Dundee defence. At the weekend he was in the Jupiler Team of the Week.
Almost all loan deals have a ‘just in case’ clause allowing it to be cut short during a transfer window. There are still two months to go but there’s no doubt that the return of Hendry to bail out the Celtic defence isn’t as far fetched as it seemed when he quietly packed off to Oostende.
Bring back Jack Hendry from his loan. Playing superb in Belgium’s top flight..needs must
— Dan Doc (@doc76) October 29, 2020