Kasper Schmeichel was not present at Barclays Hampden to watch his Celtic teammates book their place in the Scottish Cup final.
Celtic defeated St Mirren to secure a spot in the final, where they will meet Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline side on 23 May.
Schmeichel is currently sidelined with a long term shoulder issue but, rather than supporting the Hoops in person, he opted to attend Manchester City’s crucial Premier League clash against Arsenal.
Celtic will not be impressed with Kasper Schmeichel decision:
Since revealing that retirement could be on the horizon, Schmeichel has been exploring punditry work and has featured on Champions League coverage.
The 40 year old appeared to be doing something similar for the match at the Etihad Stadium. However, choosing to do so on a day when his current club were playing comes across as questionable.
It may have been sanctioned internally, but at the end of the day Celtic still pay his salary and he remains a Celtic player. His place should have been at Hampden.
Other players such as Julian Araujo, whose loan spell is effectively finished due to injury, can be understood, but Schmeichel’s situation feels different.
Kasper Schmeichel has arguably made Celtic’s decision for them:
Supporters have already criticised the Premier League winner for his form on the pitch, but his absence from Hampden feels like the tipping point.
As one of the players due to be out of contract this summer, the club could have shown goodwill by offering him an extension to support his recovery from surgery.
This latest decision suggests he is not as invested in the Hoops as some may have hoped, and it strengthens the argument that both parties should move on.