Jozo Simunovic

A bit worrying

 

I'm sure he recovered from that plastic pitch issues, he has played on them since.

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Never played a domestic game on one mate in the SPFL Permiership

 

Brendan confirms big man won't play against Kilmarnock at their stadium on the 19th due to plastic pitch.

 

Need to get him a new contract with a wage increase asap

 

JOZO SIMUNOVIC could miss the Premiership game against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park later this month – to make sure he is fit to face Astana in the Champions League second leg play-off a few days later.

Brendan Rodgers has hinted he won’t risk the defender, despite the fact he is the Hoops’ only recognised fit centre-half, with Dedryck Boyata and Erik Sviatchenko crocked.

Simunovic was nursed back to health last season after a knee injury kept him out for nine months.

And Rodgers is reluctant to risk the player on the Killie artificial pitch on August 19 followed by a crucial confrontation on a hybrid surface in Kazakhstan three days later.

He said: “We have to consider the load he has, but he’s much better and has gained more strength in his knee.

“He’s not an injury concern, but we have to monitor it especially when you look at playing Kilmarnock and Astana away on artificial pitches.

“Jozo is an inspirational young player. If the ball is in the box he’s normally got his head on it.

“He knows his lines of pass now. Once he’s a player who’s fit and in rhythm he is very good.”

Meanwhile, Simunovic insists the Hoops’ confidence is riding so high it didn’t matter who they drew in the Champions League play-off round.

He said: “We believe in ourselves and it doesn’t matter who comes when or wherever we go. We just want to play our game.

“We know we need to win if we want to get into the Champions League, so the goal is simple.”

Simunovic missed last year’s clash with Astana through injury as his team-mates squeezed through to the group stages on a 3-2 aggregate with Moussa Dembele netting a last-minute penalty-kick in Glasgow.

The classy back-four operator added: “This year is different. We are a better team now.”

 

Its totally the correct decision not to play him against Kilmarnock. With the central defensive injuries we have at the moment hes probably the one player we cant afford to lose.

 

I'm dreading next summer when we will probably have to replace him and dembele in the one window

 

Funny how football has a habit of changing rapidly.

Last summer Jozo was close to leaving, with only a medical supposedly preventing him leaving the club. 12 months on with Kolo and Eionne gone, Eric and Derek injured he's the most important defender available to the club.

Imagine if he had left, we would never have seen that tackle on Kenny Miller!

 

Nah he's obviously got a * a knee if he can't play on fake grass. Means he's ours for life. Yas!!

On a serious note I understand. I'm the same as big sumo. I play basketball, played all last year in a sweet suspended wooden floor. My knees felt great all year. Played once on a concrete floor and that's me hobbling for days. Playing twice within that close would put me out of action. I guess it'll be the same for sumo.

 

Would rest him on Tues thought he looked a bit drained yesterday..

 

Love this big *. We could play Bitton and Ajer at CB against Killie with no problems at all. Need his commanding presence over in Kazakhstan.

 

So glad we are blessed with centre halves...

 

Unbelievable that he's only 23. He plays like a seasoned veteran.

 

If anything happens to him we are *, I know Brendan has said he isn't bringing in another CB but surely that is a massive risk.

 

With the £30 million plus we would get for them. And we've got wee Griff. Not overly worried though obviously rather they stayed

 

Looks like one too!
He's came on leaps and bounds since Brendan has come in. I'm fairly certain that many of us wouldn't have been bothered had he moved last season, seen as how unfortunate he's been with injuries. But his performances showed why the club paid the amount of money they did to bring him in.

 

Thank * Torinos medical team failed him. Solid centre half and gets better every time I see him play