A defence of Carl Starfelt - Celtic's most underrated player

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Celtic have had plenty of players who have divided the court of public opinion over the years.

Scott McDonald, Stefan Johansen and Nir Bitton are just a few notable examples of names who have split supporters and pundits in recent times. However - in terms of players who have joined the club in the past few years, the most divisive player surely has to be central defender Carl Starfelt. The Sweden international, signed by former manager Ange Postecoglou in his first transfer window in charge of the club, has been an ever-present in the defensive backline of the squad, playing his part in winning five out of a possible six trophies during his time in Scotland.

With the imminent arrival of Maik Nawrocki for a fee of over £4 million – a significant outlay by the club’s standards – it is presumed that Starfelt’s position may be under threat as a starting centre-back going forward. There have even been murmurings of a potential move away for the defender, with teams like Spartak Moscow being linked. However, those wishing Starfelt away may be getting a bit hasty.

The centre of defence was an area where Celtic had major problems in when Starfelt signed for the club. On the same day as his arrival, the club announced the departure of long-time defensive stalwart Kristoffer Ajer to Brentford. Instantly, it was expected that Starfelt would make the position his own as Celtic had shelled out £4.5 million to secure his services from Russia. Despite forming a formidable partnership alongside fellow summer 2021 recruit Cameron Carter-Vickers, Starfelt has never quite gained the adulation that his fellow centre-back clearly has from the support.

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This is not to say that he's has been perfect during his time in Glasgow. He made his debut in the first game of the 21/22 Scottish Premiership game against Hearts at Tynecastle, where he put in a nervous and unconvincing performance as Celtic were defeated by the Edinburgh side 2-1. He looked particularly uncomfortable on the ball, which would not have been helped by the intimidating and daunting atmosphere that Hearts and its supporters give to their home ground when away sides visit.

However, there were some external factors which contributed to this performance. Starfelt – along with fellow new signing Kyogo Furuhashi – had to undergo a period of self-isolation in a hotel away from his new teammates – as was compulsory for those entering the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instagram photos shared by the player showed an exercise bike in the room he was staying in, in order to maintain his fitness. It was good to see that the player was making the effort to keep in shape, but it was clear that he would not be in the best shape come the start of the season in terms of match fitness.

Because of this, Starfelt was on the back foot from day one thanks to this performance, and subsequent showings against the likes of AZ Alkmaar and Rangers did little to convince the detractors to change their collective minds on the defender. It must be underlined, though, that Starfelt was playing alongside the likes of Stephen Welsh and the aforementioned Bitton in the heart of defence at the start of his Celtic career, with no real consistency in the backline during the early days of Postecoglou’s reign in charge.

However, the true success of a central-defensive partnership is the relationship between the two (or sometimes three) individuals contributing to the overall defensive effort of the team. This belief can be attributed to the strong relationship that Starfelt has shared with Carter-Vickers since the latter’s arrival on transfer deadline day in 2021. The two have been a massive success story defensively. When both are present in the same team, then a win follows in most cases. It is clear that the presence of Carter-Vickers helps the Swede with his confidence, too. When the USA defender is on the pitch, it allows Starfelt to play with a little bit more freedom.

Perhaps the game that began to change the public perception of Starfelt was the 2-1 victory against Rangers at Ibrox in April 2022. After Carter-Vickers scored to put Celtic ahead, the defenders faced a barrage of attacks from the home side. The pair were under the cosh but rallied and defended their way to a massive three points, which effectively ended Rangers’ title hopes that season. Despite these heroics, the doubters remained. It could even be argued that for a period of time following the World Cup the defender was even outperforming Carter-Vickers.

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Yes, he is prone to the occasional lapse in concentration, and the fact that he is playing on his weaker side to accommodate Carter-Vickers on the right-hand side means he does look awkward and sometimes clumsy on the ball, but what player doesn’t make the odd mistake? When he is fit and available, Starfelt is one of the first names on the teamsheet.

As things stand, he will remain an integral part of Celtic's defensive plans moving forward. He will relish the challenge posed to him by anyone arriving at the club - regardless of the perception his performances generate.