After just two appearances off the bench for Celtic Marco Tilio has been named in the Australia squad for the Asian Cup which starts on January 10.
Other call ups, from Japan and South Korea, will leave the Celtic squad stretched for important domestic matches but in the case of the Socceroos the possibility of some playing time for Tilio is to be welcomes.
All of Celtic’s summer signings are destined to be bundled together with a huge question mark with the former Melbourne City winger one of three new starts that were left out of Brendan Rodgers’ Champions League squad.
Brief appearances off the bench against Motherwell and Hibs haven’t shown up anything special but after being included in last year’s World Cup squad in Qatar Graham Arnold has shown faith in Tilio as he explained to the Australian Federation website:
I think I can be honest here and say if it [squad regulations] stayed at 23 there was probably a good chance that Marco wouldn’t have come but the fact that it got extended to 26 it enables us to have someone completely different that can play left wing, right wing, number 10.
He’s got the experience of major tournaments, being with me at the Olympics in 2021. But also the World Cup and I do believe this can help his Celtic career.
I’ve looked at how also we can help that Olympic campaign and, and conversation with Brendan Rodgers. At the end of the day, Tils hasn’t played much at Celtic, but we know what he can do.
He can bring that bit of difference as an impact player as well and be with us and get that smile back on his face and getting ready obviously for Celtic but also available, the availability and fresher and fitter for the Olympic campaign as well.
While the Asian Cup is going on Celtic have SPFL matches at home to Ross County plus away matches against Aberdeen and Hibs. Arnold has included Easter Road duo Martin Boyle and Lewis Miller in his squad.
Celtic play Hibs on February 7 with the Asian Cup Final on February 10, if the Socceroos reach the semi-finals it is unlikely that Boyle and Miller will be playing against Celtic.
Why is anyone surprised here? . I been banging his drum an age , its criminal what rodgers has done to various players since he arrived .
Exactly. We lost two, or three quality players and replaced them with six or seven less talented players. Which means that they can’t all get game time. So many of them will be bench-warmers only!
It is the Celtic Board who are the real
“Warmers”
here.
Those boys are wasting precious time without experience in what is a very short career!
The Board are solely responsible for this!
The supporters have watched their team disintegrate!
And the best Lawwell and Nicholson can do is sneer and ridicule shareholders who ask questions of them. The Bloody Cheek!
They are no more than overgrown school boys who need a good dose of corporal punishment to put back some sense into them!
And I hope that they get it!