Celtic allowed Stephen Welsh to leave on a free transfer in the summer, a decision that is now looking like a major own goal in footballing terms. The 26-year-old joined Swansea City after Celtic ripped up his contract to reward his loyalty, and he has since earned his first Scotland call-up and made his debut.
Welsh's rise at Swansea and Scotland
Welsh was a standout on-loan for the majority of last season with Motherwell. He has continued that form with English Championship table-toppers Swansea City, impressing enough in training to be handed his Scotland debut against Slovenia on Saturday. He was part of a three-man defence that helped Sebastien Pocognoli secure an opening-day shut-out and point in the Nations League.
The defender's career is going from strength to strength. Leaving Celtic may have been the best thing for his career, and it looks to have been the making of him. Welsh credits Jens Berthel Askou for helping him see football in a different way, and his transformation has continued under Vitor Matos.
Celtic's puzzling decisions
Martin O'Neill and his coaching staff did not share the same belief in the centre half, and Brendan Rodgers did not fancy him either. Rodgers sent him on-loan to Motherwell, which ended up being the best thing that could have happened to him.
The puzzling thing is that O'Neill, after returning for his second spell, recalled Welsh from Motherwell in January. Celtic could probably have sold Welsh for decent money then, but O'Neill took the baffling decision to recall him and play him in a Scottish Cup game at Auchinleck Talbot. That was his only appearance for Celtic, meaning they could not sell him, and his only option was to return to Motherwell.
Welsh's form compared to Celtic's defence
Welsh, at Motherwell, had been as good as any of Celtic's central defenders up to that point. He returned to Motherwell minutes before the deadline and started the season as one of the best-performing defenders in the Premiership. He is now making his name in his own right and is full of confidence, unlike at Celtic where he did not have game time under his belt.
On current form, Welsh is playing better than Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales and Auston Trusty. O'Neill will probably argue that these three plus Dane Murray as back-up meant Celtic were more than fully covered in the heart of their defence. Welsh, on current form, would stroll into that Celtic defence. The fact that Celtic let him walk out for nothing is mind-boggling, yet their loss looks to be Scotland and Swansea's gain.
