Kasper’s right, it is tough being a goalkeeper

Kasper Schmeichel spoke recently of the pain and distress over his blunder in the Scottish cup final loss to Aberdeen and his words raised more than a few eyebrows.

Kasper acknowledged his uncharacteristic error, but he also seemed to indicate that ‘others’ were also to blame such as a gilt edge chance in the same game at the other end that would have wrapped up the win and the treble.

Schmeichel didn’t name names, but he’s most likely eluding to Daizen Maeda who spurned a great opportunity when one on one with his opposite number Dimitar Mitov, one that the Japanese forward should have buried and won us the game, but he didn’t and we move on.

Football is a team game, and naturally we win and lose as a team. The fact is that on the day we weren’t good enough, from the goalkeeper to the centre forward, to the substitutes who were introduced to proceedings, to the manager who picked the side and deployed the tactics. Everyone was to blame or at least at fault on a day that just didn’t go Celtic’s way.

Kasper is right when he says a goalkeeper’s mistake is magnified ten fold compared to that of an outfield player who does likewise, but such is football that’s unfortunately just the way it is. He knows it only too well, as does every other keeper who plays the game.

The good ones always come back strong and let’s face it Kasper is one of the very best the game has seen in modern times. It was a bad error but it was also a bad miss. No-one will hold the latter against Daizen and rightly so and the same will also apply to Kasper. No Celtic supporter will blame him and he’ll be a popular as ever come the new season.