“Take it in” – Former Everton midfielder weighs in on Iheanacho’s limited minutes at Celtic

Kelechi Iheanacho of Celtic celebrates. Copyright: ImagoxVagelisxGeorgariou

Super Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho was the hero of the bench for Celtic in their 2-1 win over Hibernian on Sunday, helping the hoops stay firm in the title race, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 29-year-old has grown into some form of super-sub role at Hampden Park, a situation he clearly doesn’t like. However, Former Celtic and Everton midfielder John Collins has urged the Nigerian to take on the responsibility.

Across Celtic’s last five games in all competitions, Kelechi Iheanacho has scored four goals, coming in clutch for Martin O’Neill’s men.

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Soccer John Collins opines on Kelechi Iheanacho’s limited minutes at Celtic

Celtic’s interim manager Martin O’Neill previously hinted that the reason the Nigerian forward is having few minutes to come by is that he cannot offer the intensity in press as his Japanese teammate Daizen Maeda does.

As such, he can only thrive against tired legs, and take advantage of that, given he’s not the quickest player off the mark. Collins, who played over 200 games for Celtic, has urged the former Manchester City striker to enjoy the role, citing it could be an important one in the title race.

“Iheanacho has a good awareness of what’s round about him,” the 58-year-old said in quotes revealed by the BBC.

“He can take the ball in and you can play one-twos off him but what he doesn’t have is legs to start a game.

“So the manager has a decision to make. Do you have him on the bench when games are usually won in the last 20 minutes?

“I think he’ll be a bench player used for the last minutes until the end of the season.

“But there’s every chance he could be a hero at the end of the season,” the one-time Scottish Cup winner concluded.

While questions about his ability to start games continue to grow, Iheanacho has put himself in a good position for a new contract with the Hoops, considering his newfound form.

Adefolahan Guerreiro

Adefolahan is a multilingual CAF-Accredited sports journalist and football writer whose work spans outlets like Soccernet Nigeria, Pure Football UK, and Royalsportz.

With a sharp eye for detail and a background in college sports, he tells the African football story with depth, flair, and global perspective.

Fluent in English, Spanish, and German, he brings a cross-cultural voice to his coverage, blending insight with accessibility for readers around the world.
His portfolio includes interviews with top Nigerian stars like Finidi George, Junior Lokosa, Sikiru Alimi, Sodiq Ismaila, and Abraham Onahi Ogbu.

A devoted Borussia Dortmund fan, Adefolahan thrives on the emotion and rhythm of the beautiful game. Away from work, he’s a sci-fi enthusiast and series lover who enjoys exploring how sport, storytelling, and culture collide.