At the Heart of defeat

Hearts 2 - 1 Celtic
On Sunday the crisis deepened. Celtic lost 50% of their SPL games.

In truth, Hearts were good for the three points they won on Sunday. I can't be the only one to suspect that the excessive watering of the Tyncastle pitch was to combat Celtic's passing but that is perhaps allowable gamesmanship. However, even without Paul Hartley, they looked rather more convincing than Celtic over the piece.

That owes much to the relative defences. With Petrov and Jiri Jarosik both looking to play attacking roles, there was always the feeling that Celtic’s central pairing would come under attack. But one man in particular could look down the pitch for a few valuable lessons.

Gary Caldwell has long been thought of as a quality footballer waiting to happen and was described by his former manager Tony Mowbray as “the best footballing centre-half in Scotland”. Comments like that have ruined many a half-decent defender. It’s hard to figure where Caldwell’s mind is in matches but in recent weeks, it seems that there has been a Caldwell-shaped gap in key areas of defence every time the opposition have scored a goal.

He is also prone to Wannabe-Baresi syndrome in feeling it necessary to run-Forest-run with the ball, without knowing when to stop, pass it short or hoof it. As I have yet to see him make a decent cross and with the very thought of a cross-field pass from him filling me with the Tebilly’s, I would entreat him to look at that mud-and-wattle defender Steven Pressley and learn.

Elvis has rarely been feted for his silky skills but rather was one of those promising players at Rangers who turned into nonentities ( sort of like an early Bob Malcolm). But over the years, Pressley has learned much – not least to play within his limitations and concentrate on old-fashioned proletarian defending. It is a philosophy on which many a good side has been built and in Elvis’s case has turned him into a player who retains limitations but is the most sound centre-half Scotland has.

Caldwell has another example much closer to home (when he is in the position he should be) right beside him in Stephen McManus. McManus has sought nothing other than a chance to play for Celtic by getting on with his job to the best of his ability without delusions of grandeur. I doubt that he will ever make a top-class international but, even accounting for a few too many mistakes, neither is he likely to be the subject of the derision that Caldwell has already attracted.

The choice is stark for Caldwell – take the Elvis approach and grow or stick resolutely on his path to Amorusodom.