Derek Riordan: A Metaphor

By: Matt | April 6th, 2008

GIVE DEEK A GAME!
Another game, another mind bending, hair pulling, teeth mashing performance by Celtic. The Bhoys went down to Motherwell 1-0 at Celtic Park yesterday. I was only able to listen to the game and not see anything, but the goal sounded like an error on Artur
Boruc’s part in failing to clear a cross, but if anyone saw it and can tell me for certain in the comments, I’d appreciate it. I am almost glad that only audio was available for the game, as my computer might not have made it through watching Celtic piss away possession after possession. From what it sounded like, it seemed that there were no real clear cut good chances, but rather a bunch of poor half chances. The lineup was the same 4-4-2 with the same usual suspects. It seemed like my personal whipping bhoy, Massimo Donati, had a decent game creating chances and passing well. Aiden McGeady also sounded like he was running around people and putting balls in the box for the first half well. During the 2nd half, Aideninho must have had a revelation as instead of putting balls in the box, he’d make runs and put it on net and had a couple decent shots. Either way, this team cannot seem to find the net even with MapQuest. Not counting the match against Gretna, Celtic have scored exactly 1 freaking goal, the Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink extra time header against Aberdeen, since March 2nd. Yet, the manager does nothing to change, sticking to his seemingly empty guns.

The loss on Saturday comes on the heels of Rangers dropping two points to Dundee United (as I thought could happen), which makes the loss that much more frustraiting. It seems that this team has no focus and perhaps the manager has lost them. They don’t seem to respond well to him and he certainly doesn’t seem able to motivate them for the “Cup Finals” that every game they play from now on out is, as Naka said.

Which brings us to Derek Riordan. To say Wee Deek has had a rough season would be an understatement. Riordan was not promised a starting spot and is honest in saying that, sighting the various offensive options that were available when he was brought to Celtic. However, some of those players have moved on and some have struggled. No matter the situation, for some reason Derek Riordan just does not seem to cross Gordon Strachan’s mind , which must be frustrating for Deek. However, in football, for reasons unbeknown to others, managers and players don’t get along with each other. That’s fine and part of the business, but usually the player is transfered to places elsewhere or the manager is sacked. However, neither have happened and it must frustrate Deek even more. Riordan has spoken out about his plight in a recent interview with The Scotsman saying:

‘”I only get chucked on if we need a goal so he must think I can get him a goal but he obviously doesn’t want to do it unless he really has to because he doesn’t want me to prove him wrong. He knows I would score quite a lot if he played me as much as he has played the other strikers but I don’t think he wants proved wrong,” says Riordan. “When I speak to him, he’s nice to me and says all the things players want to hear about me being part of the plans but you know by his actions that he’s talking rubbish.

“It is frustrating. I was left out the squad (against Motherwell yesterday] and was training with the reserves on Friday. I’ve virtually chucked it at Celtic, what’s the point when I’m not getting a chance.”

“I went there thinking I was going to play. It’s not like I just went there for the money, I wanted to play and I thought I would do well at Celtic with the amount of chances that teams like Celtic and Rangers create. I thought I would score a lot of goals and if I was given the chance every week I still believe I could. But I’ve just never had the chance.”

A player at the end of his tether, he feels he has wasted two years of his career and the situation has left him feeling depressed and humiliated. Especially when he is sent on in the final minutes of games against his old club. An 89th minute sub against Hibs earlier this term, he said he was hurt. “That was a kick in the teeth. That was embarrassing. I did well when I was there and some of the Hibs fans said I shouldn’t go, so that was embarrassing, but it’s always the same, it’s the last few minutes if I do get chucked on.”

He says there are times he does regret leaving Easter Road. “You see loads of other young players getting in the Scotland squad and everybody has gone ahead of me so it’s very frustrating. I’m not being big-headed but I was one of the well-known ones at Hibs because I was doing so well and scoring so many goals but now you see all of them, they are the ones who are playing every week and in the Scotland squads and it’s annoying. Depressing.

“I feel let down by the manager. I remember him sitting in my mum’s house trying to sign me and he said I could play anywhere in his midfield or up front. It was the same in the press conferences but now I can only play left midfield for some reason and that’s not even my best position.

“I have a year left of my contract in the summer but I can sign a pre-contract in December. I’m 25, I want to be playing. It will just depend if the manager is still here or who else comes in. I’ll see who the next manager is before I decide. I don’t want to be here and not playing but I would like to stay at Celtic if I thought I had a chance to play. I know I won’t get that chance with him. I’ve been here nearly two years and it’s not happened yet so I don’t see it happening now. But Celtic are brilliant. I like it here and would love to prove myself but the nasty thing is not playing.”

It would seem that Riordan provides a decent metaphor for this season. On paper, there is loads of talent there, however mostly that talent goes unused or in an unnatural position for the player. The manager is either too stubborn or too stupid to change, and in the end the team and the players suffer.