Martin O’Neill has spoken about Joel Mvuka’s slow start to life at Celtic after the winger again found himself out of the squad.
Mvuka arrived on deadline day with plenty of excitement around his pace and direct style. So far, supporters have seen very little of him. His only real involvement came in the 45 minutes he played against Dundee, and since then he has struggled to get near the pitch.
With Celtic chasing points in the league and trying to stay alive in Europe, O’Neill has leaned on players he trusts. Wide areas have been shared between experienced names, leaving Mvuka waiting for his chance.
O’Neill was asked about the situation and made it clear he sees this as a settling-in period rather than anything more serious.
He said: (TCW), “I think it’s just getting used to the environment.
“These lads have played decent grades of football before. But it’s the intensity here at this minute.
“And some players, like James Forrest, have been used to that sort of intensity. So we’ll see.”
Joining in the middle of a season makes it tougher. Players like James Forrest just know the game here. They understand when to shut someone down and when to hold their position. That only comes with time.
Mvuka does not have much time. With an option to buy said to be around £3 million, Celtic will have to make a call soon. Before that happens, they need to see more from him on the pitch.
There are plenty of games left, but the clock is ticking. If he wants the move to become permanent, he has to show quickly that he can handle the pace and the pressure.
