I WAS a bit surprised to see Erik Sviatchenko leaving Celtic.

Sure, he was out on loan for most of last season and it had become clear that Brendan Rodgers perhaps wasn’t his biggest fan, but I always felt 
he was a decent centre-half who would be worth keeping at the club.

I thought Sviatchenko did well when he first came in, under Ronnie Deila, and while he might not be a superstar, the Dane never let down Celtic.

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He’s gone for £1million to Midtjylland, which isn’t much these days, and I did think he would return in the summer.

Celtic are a bit short at the back – it’s an area the manager will strengthen I’m sure – and it will be interesting to see who he goes for next.

Dedryck Boyata, Jozo Simunovic, Jack Hendry and Kristoffer Ayer all have their good points, but all four are a work in progress. My feeling is that Sviatchenko decided he had to play games.

Rodgers might well have wanted to keep him, but the player didn’t want to sit in the stand or on the touchline.

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And if that’s the case, then well done him.

It’s all too easy for some to hang about a club and pick up their wage without the pressure of actually having to play.

Sviatchenko most probably felt he was better than a squad player and he would rather get a game every week than be a bit-part performer at a big club.

As I said, I thought he did well and I’m sure Celtic fans will wish him all the best.