The Denmark keeper has gone from hero to zero in the eyes of some fans this season after one too many blunders
Kasper Schmeichel will go down as a Premier League great after his title-winning heroics with Leicester City.
The Denmark No.1 has enjoyed a remarkable career at the top level after following in the footsteps of his legendary father, Peter. But at the age of 39, it’s becoming clearer by the week that the Celtic goalkeeper’s best days appear well and truly behind him.
Schmeichel had huge gloves to fill when he was brought in to replace retired Hoops hero and close pal Joe Hart last season. And for the most part, the 120-times capped veteran looked like an upgrade between the sticks, impressing with his slick passing and dynamic shot-stopping.
But after his Scottish Cup Final clanger against Aberdeen last May – which cost Celtic a Treble – Schmeichel has never truly recovered. Blunders have gradually crept into his game during his second campaign in Glasgow, including Tuesday night’s disasterclass at Fir Park.
Fast forward a few days and Schmeichel was under fire again after failing to deal with a routine effort, allowing Mikey Moore to fire Rangers 3-1 ahead. That sparked an extraordinary reaction from fans behind the Lisbon Lions goal, who turned on their own goalkeeper and booed Schmeichel with every touch – a spectacular backlash rarely seen in modern football.
One fan wrote on X: “Kasper Schmeichel getting booed every time he touches the ball. He needs to be done after this game. Totally useless.”
Another pointed out: “He got it tight big time in the first half when he passed it straight to one of them. People’s patience has snapped.”
Celtic legend and Sky Sports pundit Chris Sutton was also scathing in his criticism of Wilfried Nancy’s first-choice keeper, adding: “Schmeichel looks out of shape to me. He’s been poor all season. The third goal is disgraceful.”
Back-up keeper Viljami Sinisalo has made just three appearances for the fallen Scottish champions this season, most recently in last week’s 4-2 win at Livingston while Schmeichel recovered from a minor issue.
