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da bwin： Former Everton star James McFadden believes his former teammate Phil Jagielka can play a big role for Celtic if he signs up with Neil Lennon’s side this summer, speaking to The Scottish Sun.
What’s the story?
The paper reported earlier this week that the Hoops were keen on a move for the veteran centre-back after he left Everton, with the club needing reinforcements in the position after the exits of Dedryck Boyata and Filip Benkovic.
Now 36 years old, Jagielka’s arrival at Celtic Park would certainly raise eyebrows, but McFadden feels his experience can be a real benefit to the Celtic dressing room as they launch a bid to win their ninth successive league title.
As quoted by The Scottish Sun, the former Scotland international said:
“People will look at Phil’s age, but I wouldn’t worry too much about that.
“Look at Davie Weir. He was 36 when he joined Rangers and look at the impact he had. Because of his ability and the way he carried himself he commanded the instant respect of his team-mates.
“Phil would be exactly the same at Celtic. He would have a tremendous influence on the entire club. I looked up to David because of the way he led his life. Phil would set the same example for the Celtic lads, no doubt about it.”
Watch a tribute to Celtic’s late Lisbon Lion and greatest ever captain, Billy McNeill in the video below…
Clash of styles
There’s no doubt that Jagielka has immense experience.
With 40 caps for England and 360 career appearances in the Premier League, he’s a player who has featured at the top level for over a decade.
That would obviously command the respect McFadden mentions in his comments, but Jagielka still doesn’t feel like the right kind of signing for Celtic this summer.
When Davie Weir signed for Rangers they were managed by Walter Smith, who notably preferred to play with a much more defensive and pragmatic outlook than currently seen at Celtic.
It was a successful model, one which got them to a UEFA Cup final and won them domestic trophies, but it also meant that pace wasn’t the biggest concern when it came to the centre-back pairing, ideal for a veteran defender like Weir or Jagielka.
The Hoops play a high defensive line, with defenders often taking the ball for a run into the midfield or playing it out from the back rather than passing it forward over the top. McFadden doesn’t appear to have really appreciated that, which is where his comparison falls flat.
Jagielka isn’t exactly known for his ball-playing ability, with his commitment to defending first and foremost his most endearing trait.
Perhaps Neil Lennon will be looking to change the way Celtic play, but as it stands, a move for Jagielka doesn’t make much sense despite his experience and leadership attributes.