5 Scottish football stars you may have forgotten still exist

Excluding players who have missed significant time through injury (Jordan Rossiter, Chris Burke, Kevin McNaughton etc) here are a list of Scottish football players who have seemingly dropped off the face of the earth.

Juwon Oshaniwa has not played a single second for Hearts this season. Picture: Neil Hanna

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Juwon Oshaniwa (Hearts)

Star of three World Cup matches, marker of Lionel Messi and a man (supposedly) wanted by Celtic (aye, right), what a coup it was for Hearts to sign Nigerian international Juwon Oshaniwa. Such a coup, in fact, that he has played precisely zero minutes this season. It’s a banishment imposed by the club who are desperate to convince the 26-year-old that he, and his bloated wage packet, would be better off going somewhere else.

Reports of his departure this summer will give hopes to Jambos everywhere, especially as he still has another 15 months left on his contract. If he sticks around for the duration this has to go down as one of the worst Scottish football signings of recent years.

Neil Alexander (Aberdeen)

A near-mainstay of the Hearts team over the previous two years, Alexander left Tynecastle last summer when his contract offer was revoked by the Gorgie club. He decided, instead, to sign for Aberdeen, but unfortunately his signing came at the same time as a certain Mr Joe Lewis, who has clearly established himself as the country’s second best goalkeeper behind Craig Gordon.

Yesterday it emerged Alexander is set to leave Pittodrie at the end of this season. It’s certainly been a frustrating campaign for the 39-year-old.

Dapo Kayode (Kilmarnock)

There’s every chance Dapo Kayode doesn’t actually exist and he was just thought up by Killie for tax purposes or something. Or perhaps they dropped his name in with the other 77 summer signings and wondered if anyone would ever pick up on the elaborate prank.

The Ayrshire club have shipped in boat loads of players over the season, most of whom haven’t worked out, and some never played at all. Kayode is the only one to have failed to feature in at least one game and still remains contracted to the club. Dapo, if you are real, you deserve a pat on the back.

Kolo Toure (Celtic)

He came on as a 89th minute substitute in the recent win over Inverness CT in the Scottish Cup, but other than that he’s made only one appearance since October. It’s a rather bizarre twist of fate for a player who was among the best for Celtic in the opening couple of months.

Brendan Rodgers even waxed lyrical about Toure’s work habits near the beginning of this first-team hiatus, so it’s strange he’s not been given a few more token appearances. As evidenced by the recent Old Firm derby, centre-back is not an area of the team where Celtic are at their strongest.

Nick Ross (Dundee)

Ross played 42 times last season for Paul Hartley’s side after making the switch from Inverness CT and continued to play at the beginning of this campaign. Since October, though, he’s barely been seen, making one substitute and one start amid bench-warming duty. When he plays he has an unassuming style which means he can often blend into the background. Maybe Hartley thinks he’s still been playing this whole time.