Stephen Welsh

STEPHEN WELSH insists Celtic’s “serial winners” will bounce back from their Old Firm defeat.

Neil Lennon’s side are under major pressure after Rangers inflicted their first blow in the title race.


But Old Firm rookie Welsh said: “There are serial winners in that changing room, so I have no problem with that.

“It is still early in the season and it is one result.




Anything can change. You saw it last season and have seen it in other seasons when we have won all these trophies.

“It’s really disappointing, but we have so many big games to come back into. We just need to bounce back.”


Welsh didn’t let Celtic down in an assured Old Firm debut.

But the Hoops rookie was still devastated by the painful experience of losing to Rangers.




Welsh, 20, is one of the few Celts stars who can hold their head high after they were well beaten by Steven Gerrard’s side.

He also showed maturity off the pitch as he refused to sugar-coat a well below-par Hoops display.

The rookie defender could have highlighted Celtic’s Covid-19 crisis that saw him called into action.


He would have been within his rights to point to the sitter missed by Mohamed Elyounoussi at 1-0 to Gers.


Instead, Welsh simply told it how it was. He said: “It was a big day for me, but all that matters is to go and win the game. I’m gutted we didn’t do it.

“I don’t think we played well at all. Unfortunately, we came out of the wrong side with a defeat.

“I don’t think their keeper really had a save to make, so that’s disappointing.

“So were the goals we lost, and we need to work on that defensively.


We were adamant we could not concede from a set-piece, but we did and that was really disappointing.

“We need to win the derby games. The only aim was to win. I’m gutted as the result was poor.”

Welsh was drafted in after Israeli duo Nir Bitton and Hatem Elhamed tested positive for Covid-19.

Christopher Jullien also failed to shake off a back problem, leaving the youngster in pole position to start.

Gaffer Neil Lennon wanted to stick with his 3-5-2 formation and Welsh insists he wasn’t fazed by the call.

He added: “You do your team shape and that type of thing in training. But you don’t know who is playing until the manager announces the team.


When you see your name on that teamsheet, you need to be ready.

“There are no excuses any more, you have to get out there and do the business. It was unfortunate we just did not do that.”

Celtic fell behind to Connor Goldson’s early header and didn’t do nearly enough to get back into it.

Elyounoussi’s miss was key, but for all their possession, Lennon’s men failed to even get a shot on target.

Throw in the awful defending for Goldson’s second and it was a bad combination for the champions. Welsh revealed it was a quiet dressing-room afterwards and admits the Hoops, now four points behind Gers, didn’t do themselves justice.

He said: “At 1-0 down, this team can score goals. You have the belief we can score.




But we didn’t create as many chances as we would have liked to.

“What was the dressing room like after the game? What you would imagine it would be like.

“Everyone was gutted. It was just disappointing. But we have a big game on Thursday against AC Milan and then another big one on Sunday up at Aberdeen.

“So we need to bounce back very quickly.”

Boss Lennon admitted his side were flat as they missed the backing of 60,000 fans.

There is no doubt the empty stadium suited Gers more, but Welsh refused to use that as an excuse.

He added: “With 60,000 fans in Celtic Park we feel as though we can beat anyone



“But it’s not an excuse. We’ve played in it like that a few times now. It would have been great to have had 60,000 there, but you just need to deal with it and play your own game.”

Celts need to pick themselves up for Thursday’s Europa League clash with an in-form AC Milan.

Welsh has no idea if Lennon will change to a back four and pair Shane Duffy with Kris Ajer in the middle.

But he insists he’s ready to help shackle Swedish superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic if necessary.

The Hoops also have massive games against Aberdeen in the Premiership and Scottish Cup coming up.

Welsh is keen to play his part after showing Lennon he can be trusted on the biggest stage.


He said: “We’ll see. AC Milan is another great test. But the Rangers match was only my second game for the first team.

“So to play against Milan for my third would be great, but you never know until the team gets announced.

“These are the games you want to be playing in as a kid. So you might as well play in them right from the start and enjoy it.

“These matches are a great experience.

“There is nothing better than a game against AC Milan. There’s the Scottish Cup semi-final coming up too. There are so many big games.”

Diego Laxalt was another Old Firm debutant for Celtic and showed up well in flashes on the left wing.

Welsh has trained with the AC Milan loanee for the last ten days and reckons he will become a big player.

Laxalt needs time to get up to speed, but the Uruguayan looks set to nail down that position.


Welsh added: “Diego’s got so much quality. He’s played in World Cups and with AC Milan at the highest level.

“He’s a really good player, but will need to understand the mentality of the boys and the mentality of Celtic.

“It will come in time and Diego is a really good player.”

 

No it doesn’t.

Looks obvious he’s having a conversation with Ralston, to me. Folk jumping to conclusions based on a still image helps no one.

 

He definitely isn't looking at Welsh

 

May be a bit early to say it, but I reckon Welsh may be about to get a bit of the Christie luck from a few seasons back.

Finally given his * chance due to massive injury list, and may now just stake a claim in the squad.

Shame it always ends up needing to get to these sort of stages for a player to be finally given a chance.

 

Can’t blame the lad at all for his efforts over the last two games. To get thrown in out the blue against the huns and Milan as only his second and third ever games is an extremely big ask and he can hold his head high at how he’s answered the call.

For me though, he’s not quite ready and could do with a loan move to get more first team experience. He’s got ability, but he won’t get a run in the team here to really learn his trade.

 

Thrown in from the academy for 2 monumentally big game's and subbed off early in the first and thrown back in and subbed at half time in the second..

Isn't his fault. Came in and tried to do a job. Isn’t quite good enough but all of this is on Lenny..

* poor handling..

Mentally won't have helped him whatsoever..

 

Not being AC Milan quality yet is something we could say to more than a few of our players tonight.

Thought any mistakes the lad had could be put down to lack of experience. Is his experience any different from a lower league 16/17/18/19 year old defender having to go up against Celtic? That's the way I would be pitching it to him anyway.

Almost always better to have the experience regardless of winning or losing. Hopefully benefits him in the longer term.

 

My gut instinct is he probably won't be good enough for us anyway is what I'm getting at. To throw him in and be one of the fall guy's tonight after Saturday....when he's played fuckall football for us bar Accies away last year...is poor..

 

Feel sorry for him a bit...

 

Not disagreeing with your main sentiment other than him being one of the fall guys. Which ironically was your main sentiment it would appear ?

 

He shouldn't have been thrown in at the deep end to be punted off 2 game's on the trot. Especially at half time when your man in the middle was having a horror show..

Do I think Welsh is good enough for us? Doubtful but it's still poor management for me as don't play him in the first place and go to a back 4....if no Saturday then certainly tonight..

 

Fair play to him, he’s done himself no harm over the last week. He was posted nowhere for that second goal but the boy sitting next to him looked more like the rabbit in the headlights.

 

@McGuire - this. Was in the middle of a reply but the above sums it up.

 

Fair enough..

You'll see I'm no slagging the boy. I know he's given everything. This isn't on him..

 

He is not to blame, the system wasn't right and he has been thrown in. Deserves time before anyone judges whether he can make it or not

 

Been hung out to dry and still came out of both games not being our worst defender.

Says a lot.

 

I would have 100% taken Duffy off before him tonight

 

I think he looks promising. Not far off from being a good defender. Just needs a bit games under his belt.

I'm sure the staff will big him up for being able to jump in massive games and do well when relied upon.

Manged well I believe he can take confidence from this past week.