Explosive Training Ground Drama Leaves Player Facing MORE Time on the Bench

Celtic’s growing squad depth is creating a selection headache for Martin O’Neill — and one player could now find himself facing an even tougher fight for regular first-team football.

There is a growing sense around Celtic Park that competition for places is becoming every bit as important as the results on the pitch.

Martin O’Neill’s Celtic have made a perfect start to their Scottish Premiership title defence, winning all five of their opening league matches and sitting top of the table with 15 points. 

But while the results have been almost impossible to argue with, the manager now faces a completely different problem.

How does he keep everyone happy when several players are competing for the same positions?

That question has become particularly interesting following the return of key players from injury and the arrival of several new faces during the transfer window.

And for one Celtic player, the latest developments could mean more time watching from the sidelines.

O’Neill’s Celtic squad is becoming increasingly difficult to break into

When O’Neill returned to Celtic, one of the biggest challenges was obvious.

The squad needed more quality.

There were matches last season where Celtic struggled to find goals, and the manager himself admitted that he wanted to improve the attacking options available to him. He has subsequently overseen significant recruitment and now has considerably more competition throughout the squad. 

That competition is already beginning to have consequences.

Camilo Duran, for example, has taken advantage of his opportunities and has become one of the most talked-about players in the Celtic squad.

The Colombian has scored three goals during the recent absence of Kasper Høgh and also provided an assist in Celtic’s 2-1 victory over St Mirren. 

Høgh has now returned to training.

And that creates an intriguing selection dilemma.

Does O’Neill immediately restore his record signing?

Or does Duran’s form make it impossible to ignore him?

That is exactly the sort of problem every manager wants — but it can be brutal for the player who loses his place.

Høgh’s return could change everything

Kasper Høgh has been unavailable since August 25 after suffering an injury.

His absence gave Duran an opportunity in the centre-forward position, and the Colombian has taken it.

According to reports, Høgh and Kieran Tierney both returned to training ahead of Celtic’s trip to St Johnstone, giving O’Neill a major boost ahead of another busy period. 

O’Neill has already indicated that he wants his strongest players available.

And that could mean some very difficult conversations inside Lennoxtown.

The Celtic boss was asked about the possibility of moving Duran back out wide if Høgh returned.

His response was revealing.

O’Neill made it clear that when everyone is fit, the objective is ultimately to find a way to get the club’s best players onto the pitch. 

That sounds positive.

But football doesn’t work that way for everyone.

For every player who gets into the starting XI, another player is left out.

And Celtic’s current squad means that competition is only going to become more intense.

The bench could become a very uncomfortable place

This is where the drama surrounding Celtic’s squad becomes particularly interesting.

A player can be training well.

A player can be fit.

A player can be available.

And yet he can still find himself sitting on the bench.

That is the reality of playing for a club like Celtic.

O’Neill has already shown that he is prepared to make difficult decisions based on form and what he believes gives Celtic the best chance of winning.

The manager isn’t going to select somebody simply because they are an established name.

And the current evidence suggests that players who take their opportunities will be rewarded.

Duran is perhaps the clearest example.

He was not necessarily expected to become the focal point of the Celtic attack when Høgh was fit.

But injuries created an opportunity.

He took it.

Now Høgh is back.

Suddenly O’Neill has a decision to make.

And then there’s Kieran Tierney

The situation isn’t limited to the attack.

Kieran Tierney has also returned to training following injury.

The Celtic defender has missed matches recently because of a thigh problem, but O’Neill is hopeful that he can play a part after returning to the training group. 

Tierney’s return creates another selection dilemma.

Celtic have had to cope without him.

Now they have the difficult task of deciding when — and how — to bring him back.

O’Neill has already stressed that players returning from injury must be assessed carefully.

Tierney has been keen to get back involved, but the manager has made it clear that the final decision will depend on his fitness. 

That means another player could eventually lose his place.

And that is where the phrase “more time on the bench” becomes increasingly relevant.

Celtic’s perfect start has made competition even tougher

There is another factor working against players trying to force their way into O’Neill’s starting XI.

Celtic are winning.

Five league games.

Five victories.

Fifteen points.

Thirteen goals scored.

Only three conceded.

That is an excellent platform for a manager.

But it also makes it harder for fringe players to demand changes.

Why would O’Neill rip apart a winning team simply to accommodate somebody who has returned from injury?

The Celtic manager has already made it clear that his immediate priority is winning football matches rather than simply trying to fit every new signing into the side. 

That message should worry anyone currently fighting for a starting position.

Because the manager has options.

And increasingly, he has good options.

The brutal reality of life at Celtic

This is what makes the current situation fascinating.

At a smaller club, a player might be guaranteed opportunities simply because there aren’t enough alternatives.

At Celtic, that luxury doesn’t exist.

One poor performance can see another player given an opportunity.

One injury can completely change the pecking order.

One impressive substitute appearance can suddenly make the manager rethink his plans.

And one returning star can push somebody else back down the ladder.

That is exactly what appears to be happening now.

The current Celtic squad is becoming a genuine meritocracy.

Perform well and you have a chance.

Fail to take your opportunity and somebody else is waiting.

O’Neill has already shown he won’t be sentimental

The Celtic boss has already spoken about the importance of having his best players available.

But he has also demonstrated that he is willing to make tactical changes depending on circumstances.

The return of Høgh gives him another attacking option.

The return of Tierney strengthens the defence.

New arrivals have increased competition across the squad.

And players such as Duran have given the manager something he desperately wants — selection headaches.

The difficult part now is deciding who doesn’t play.

That could be where the real drama begins.

Celtic fans are already asking the big question

Who starts?

That question is becoming increasingly difficult to answer.

If Høgh is fully fit, does he immediately reclaim the striker’s role?

If Duran continues producing goals, can O’Neill really leave him out?

If Tierney is ready, does he walk straight back into the starting XI?

And what happens to the players who have been filling those positions?

For supporters, it is an exciting problem.

For the players involved, it could be anything but exciting.

A player who believes he deserves to start could suddenly discover that the manager sees things differently.

And with Celtic’s fixture schedule becoming increasingly demanding, there will be opportunities.

But there will also be plenty of disappointed players.

The warning for every Celtic player

Perhaps the biggest message from O’Neill’s current Celtic team is simple:

Nobody’s place is guaranteed.

Not because the manager wants to embarrass anybody.

Not because he has fallen out with players.

But because Celtic now have enough depth to make genuine competition possible.

The manager’s comments about getting his best players onto the pitch underline exactly what he is trying to build.

He wants a squad capable of competing on multiple fronts.

And that means players must constantly prove they deserve their place.

For some, that will mean starting.

For others, it will mean coming off the bench.

And for a few, it could mean watching from the stands altogether.

The next few games could decide everything

Celtic travel to St Johnstone on Wednesday night with their perfect league record on the line. The match comes just days before the first Old Firm meeting of the season in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final. 

That makes the timing of the returning players particularly important.

O’Neill now has to decide whether to immediately throw them back into the action or gradually reintroduce them.

Whatever he chooses, somebody is likely to be disappointed.

And that is why the current Celtic situation is worth watching so closely.

The headlines may focus on the players who return.

But the real story could be the player who loses his place.

Because at Celtic right now, one thing is becoming increasingly clear:

Getting into Martin O’Neill’s team is difficult.

Staying there could be even harder.

And if the current competition continues at this level, the Celtic bench could become one of the most uncomfortable places in Scottish football.