Why Celtic icon believes Odsonne Edouard has let the fans down this season

Frank McAvennie believes Odsonne Edouard has let the Celtic fans down but has backed him to pay them back against Rangers this weekend.
Former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie believes Odsonne Edouard has been a let down this season (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)Former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie believes Odsonne Edouard has been a let down this season (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)
Former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie believes Odsonne Edouard has been a let down this season (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

The former Celtic striker was not impressed that Edouard failed to find the net despite his team winning 6-0 against Livingston on Saturday. He has also not scored against Rangers in two appearances against them this season. He missed the first Old Firm clash of the campaign after testing positive for Covid-19 while on international duty with the France Under-21s.

McAvennie believes Edouard is due a goal against the Ibrox side and the striker has two attempts to put this right with Celtic facing the champions twice in a fortnight.

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The first of these meetings is on Sunday, in a rescheduled Scottish Cup fourth round tie. Edouard has been linked with a move to AC Milan this summer and, despite McAvennie’s criticism, has still scored nine goals since the turn of the year but only once in his last six appearances. The former Celtic striker insists this is not good enough.

“He’s a top player but like everyone else he’s not done it this season,” said McAvennie. “He’s a better player than he has shown this season. I don’t think there’s anything holding him back in terms of ability. He could go to the very top.

“Does he deserve to go to a big club at the moment? I don’t know. The way he’s played this season he’s let the supporters down and he’s let himself down because he’s better than that.

“But he’s destined for the top,” he added. “He’s got everything in him to be a top striker. He likes it into feet. The boy Jonjoe Kenny has been firing balls into the box and I look and think if that was an Ally McCoist or myself on the end of it there would be goals. But that’s not Eddie’s game. He likes the spectacular. Unless he beats four players and puts it in the top corner he doesn’t want to know.

“But he is a wonderful talent and it’s no surprise the top teams will be looking at him. But until someone comes in for him and he moves he’s a Celtic player.”

Edouard has a year left on his contract and Celtic are under pressure to sell him this summer if they want a return on their investment. “They’ve got to do it now,” said McAvennie. “Reading between the lines, it’s been agreed he will move on but who knows?

“At Celtic this season from top to bottom it’s been in a bit of disarray. Everything is slow. Even getting a manager in is taking time. The fans don’t know what’s happening. It will go right to the end.

“I think it will be a good game at the weekend,” he added. “If Celtic turn up and play the way they can play and get beaten then so be it. But they have not turned up a lot this season. To Rangers’ credit they have gone on and won the league. But I think Celtic will give them a better game. Rangers will be confident at Ibrox. They are certainly not scared of Celtic any more. Celtic will have to overcome that and go there and put down a marker.”

Frank McAvennie was speaking to promote coverage of Rangers v Celtic exclusively live on Premier Sports this weekend. Premier Sports is available on Sky, Virgin TV and the Premier Player. Prices start from £10.99 per month.

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