Kelvin Wilson offers Celtic advice to Jahmai Simpson-Pusey

After arriving on loan from Manchester City, the 19-year-old has yet to make a first-team appearance and instead made his debut for the B team in their 5-3 loss to East Fife in the KDM Evolution Trophy on Friday night.

He has not yet been included in any of Brendan Rodgers’ Premiership matchday squads, leaving some puzzled by his absence. However, the Celtic boss has assured that the young defender – highly rated by Pep Guardiola – will get his opportunity in due course.

Ex-Celtic centre-back Wilson, having experienced the transition from English football to the Hoops’ backline himself, has shared some valuable advice.

Speaking via Daily Record, Wilson said: “He’s a young lad coming in to try and prove his point. He’s on loan from Man City so he’s obviously a decent player, without a doubt. It doesn’t matter who you are. Until you get in the door and see the magnitude of the club, it’s how you hit the ground running.

“It took me a season to settle in at Celtic to get used to everything and all the off-the-field stuff. It’s a fishbowl up there. You can play a game and win 1-0 and you read the papers the next morning and you’re getting hammered.

“You think, ‘Wait a minute, we’ve just won?’ So that will be something he has to get used to. And performances, you can’t be a 6/10 every week. You need to be eight or nine playing for Celtic and you have to dominate.”

Wilson added: “Being a centre-half and a goalkeeper, what I noticed at Celtic, you have a lot of the ball. There might be three or four occasions where they counter-attack or get a bit of possession. It’s how you’re switched on and you react to that. I think that’s what’s damaging a few times for defenders that I’ve seen at Celtic.

“The concentration levels, that’s a big thing. Technically, they are good enough, that’s why they are there. But I think it’s the other side.”

However, Wilson admits he finds it surprising that Simpson-Pusey hasn’t played yet, pointing out that Rodgers has had ample chances to give him game time.

“It’s strange how he’s not played yet,” Wilson continued. “It’s a very strange one. Yeah, you put out your best team, but I can assure you there’s probably been opportunities in the cup or whatever to put him on.

“Results as well, when you are 3-0 up, can you put him on while you’re dominating? So it’s a strange one. Whether he’s not match fit, had little niggles, I don’t know. But it’s definitely a strange one to bring a player on loan and not feature at all.”

Unfortunately Kelvin, Celtic hasn’t had many situations this season when we’re 3-0 up!

Conor Spence

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