Does Ibrox performance unlock a new lease of life for Liam Scales at Celtic?

You would have been forgiven for fearing the worst when the Celtic team was announced at 11am on Sunday morning.

The last few weeks have been lacklustre with an injury crisis hampering the Celtic team’s options, and the inclusion of Liam Scales in the Celtic team in the last few weeks has had many fans worried.

However, on Sunday, Liam Scales put up a coming of age performance that fans have been waiting to see from the Irishman ever since his arrival from Shamrock Rovers back in August 2021. With a standout performance and the fans’ approval, where does Liam Scales’ status at Celtic currently lie and what could the future hold for the 25-year-old?

Early Stages

A sense of snobbery from Celtic fans at the time meant that Scales’ arrival from the League of Ireland Premier Division wasn’t met with the resounding excitement that other signings in the summer of 2021 may have come with.

Minutes were hard to come by at first, with regular gametime not coming for Scales until December 2021. Deployed at left-back, Scales notched up a goal and an assist in his first few games, the goal being a fantastic finish at Tannadice against Dundee United.

Scales would appear in flashes through the winter but one game would change his fortunes. A poor performance in a makeshift Celtic team in Norway against Bodø/Glimt had fans feeling angry and disappointed and Scales was appointed the role of scapegoat. He didn’t feature for Celtic again that season and saw himself in different surroundings during the following campaign.

Loan spell at Aberdeen

Scales featured regularly for an Aberdeen side that, although inconsistent, finished 3rd place in last season’s cinch Premiership. Like most players in that Dons squad, he struggled under the coaching of Jim Goodwin but was reborn with the arrival of Barry Robson.

Scoring an extraordinary goal in a 2-0 win over Rangers at Pittodrie would have also pleased the Celtic fans casting a keen eye on his progress as well as the Aberdeen fans.

Despite a solid loan spell, the stigma of his performance in Norway still lingered and fans weren’t willing to give him a second chance, even with the string of injuries that were hitting Celtic at centre-back.

Performance at Ibrox

Fans were hesitant to give Scales that second chance but Brendan Rodgers wasn’t and the 25-year-old came back into the fold for a 0-0 home draw against St Johnstone. However, many would have expected new signing Nat Phillips to be the man to accompany Gustaf Lagerbielke at Ibrox but Liam Scales was the man named on the team sheet.

The 25-year-old put in a titanic performance at the back for Celtic, leading the way for clearances, interceptions and aerial duels won as he was man of the match against Rangers. Rodgers stated post match that he told the players before the game that he needed his men, and Scales stepped up on one of the biggest stages a Celtic player possibly can.

Future for the Irishman

Scales is perhaps unlucky that his breakout performance came just before the international break. Depending on the injury timeline for Cameron Carter-Vickers, Maik Nawrocki and Stephen Welsh, Scales could be bumped back down the pecking order. However, if Rodgers can allow him the game time then the redemption arc of Liam Scales may continue this season.

JAMES MCKENZIE