Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel fears his football career is over after learning that he could be out for more than a year following shoulder surgery.
No sooner had he made the grim announcement, however, than he was being accused of using the club merely as a vehicle to reach the World Cup with Denmark while clearly struggling with his form this season.
Out of contract in the summer, the 39-year-old has almost certainly played his last game for the Parkhead outfit – having already been replaced by Viljami Sinisalo – and will also miss the finals in North America if his country qualifies via the play-offs.
Schmeichel last played for Celtic against Hibernian almost a month ago, but he had returned to training last week.
With the injury recurring, the former Leicester City star initially believed that rest would be sufficient, only to learn the devastating news from a specialist on Monday that two operations will be required which will sideline him for over 12 months.
But Parkhead legend Chris Sutton wasn’t impressed with how Schmeichel went public with the news on Tuesday, and pointed out that he had omitted to mention the club who have paid his wages for the past two years.
Kasper Schmeichel fears career is over because he needs two shoulder operations
‘It’s just like Celtic weren’t in the equation with this as such,’ said Sutton. ‘It just seems to be his desire to play at the World Cup. I may be wrong, but I didn’t hear him mention Celtic once.
‘There’s clearly been something a bit wrong with him this season. Whether it was age or mobility or whatever it is, it comes to us all.
‘But I don’t necessarily think a player should be putting their own ambitions above the team and the club, that’s selfish. Like it or not.’
Reflecting on a season in which the veteran keeper has lost a string of soft goals while evidently short on fitness, Sutton told the Daily Record: ‘I like him and admire him, but that’s just selfish behaviour really, and it hasn’t served Celtic well this season, has it?
‘I suppose Schmeichel will think he’s entitled to get it out there as he sees fit, but it just seemed to me that Celtic were secondary.
‘I might be wrong and he’ll have to explain it himself, but it seemed to me he’s using Celtic for his own cause and playing when he’s not 100 per cent.
‘I might be doing him a disservice. It’s up to him to come out and explain.
‘The bottom line is that is not going to appease Celtic fans sitting there scratching their heads the same as myself and thinking: “Why has he not even mentioned the club who employ him”?
The Dane’s game against Hibernian almost a month ago may have been the last he ever plays
‘He’s not been right and he’s sort of using the club (by) playing when he knows he’s not fit to serve his own purpose? Really?
‘It seemed selfish to me, himself over the club. We all naturally look after ourselves, but the team comes first at all times.’
A title winner with Leicester in 2016, Schmeichel has won 120 caps for Denmark and been part of the country’s squad at five major tournaments.
He joined Celtic two years ago from Anderlecht when Joe Hart retired and won the Scottish title and the League Cup in his first season.
However, he dislocated his shoulder a year ago while playing for Denmark in a Nations League quarter final match with Portugal.
With his side having committed all their substitutes, Schmeichel played on – and his form has been questionable ever since.
Culpable as Aberdeen equalised in the Scottish Cup final, which Celtic went on to lose, the keeper has lost several soft goals this season.
He was booed by some Celtic fans for his part in the 4-1 home loss to Stuttgart in the Europa League.
Speaking in an interview on CBS Sports, the keeper effectively revealed that his time at Celtic is up.
‘I could have potentially played my last ever football game,’ he said.
‘I was at a specialist yesterday and, basically, I’m going to need two surgeries now to fix my shoulder which is a bit of a body blow.
‘It’s a torn bicep, I’ve torn the rotator cuff, dislocated the shoulder, torn the labrum – torn everything.
Schmeichel was booed by some Celtic fans for his blunders in the defeat to Stuttgart
Schmeichel was a pundit with father Peter at this week’s game between Manchester City and Real Madrid
‘To maybe put it into terms you’d maybe understand, it’s like an outfield player doing their ACL and their Achilles at the same time.
‘I don’t really know anything right now, in the sense that you don’t know how to react to this.
‘I could have potentially played my last ever football game.
‘I have been a footballer since the day I was born. That kind of thought is devastating.
‘It’s very, very hard to wrap my head around, at the moment.’
Sinisalo kept a clean sheet as Celtic won the away leg of the Europa League tie in Germany and has retained his place ever since.
The Finland international will now be Martin O’Neill’s first-choice keeper as Celtic look to defend their title and win back the Scottish Cup with Ross Doohan the back-up.
