‘That option’: John Hartson tips 25-year-old versatile Celtic player for shock Champions League selection

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The international break is now in full swing and whilst some football fans dislike this time of the season, others enjoy watching their club players represent their country at the highest level.

For Celtic fans, many of don’t enjoy the international break as the club has a history of some of their top players returning injured.

Hopefully that doesn’t happen and all the players return fit and healthy for the upcoming Champions League campaign.

Because we are going to need a fully fit squad to face the likes of Feyenoord, Lazio and Atletico Madrid. But should injury do hit or form dips in the side, former Celtic striker, John Hartson, has said that Liam Scales could come in from the cold and do a job for the Hoops in Europe’s premier competition.

Hartson said [The Go Radio Football Show], “He can play when some of the centre-backs come back like [Cameron] Carter-Vickers and one or two others. You know you got Liam Scales who’s naturally left-footed, who can play out the left-back as well.

“So he can play in that position. His fitness levels, he can get up and down the pitch, he can give you that physical presence.

“Certainly defensively in the Champions League with the quality, defending set pieces, these types of things.
“[Greg] Taylor’s done okay, but Brendan’s got that option of Taylor of Scales who can actually play left-back as well.”

Scales has certainly impressed at Celtic this season under Brendan Rodgers. And not just at Ibrox.

The Irishman was a part of the club’s preseason training camp in Portugal and the tour of Japan and impressed the Celtic manager with his ‘first class attitude‘ throughout the summer.

Scales was brought in as emergency cover in the Hoops backline as a horrific run of injuries decimated the backline. And hasn’t he done well?

The fullback has been receiving an incredible amount of plaudits for his performance against Rangers and now with Hartson suggesting he could do a job for the club in the Champions League, has Scales now forced his way into Brendan Rodgers‘ plans permanently now?

We shall soon find out when the 25-man squad for the competition is named later this month but it is fair to say he has done his chances no harm at all this week.

In other news, Celtic now have four players who are all worth over £10m, football study says