Baur puts Celtic midfield under scrutiny with honest admission

Mika Baur’s Celtic midfield admission deserves attention because he has put himself inside the argument about what must improve.

Speaking to The Scottish Sun, Baur said: “it’s Callum McGregor’s job and my job in the midfield to control it.”

That is a player accepting responsibility alongside his captain. For me, it is a more useful starting point than another round of vague promises.

Celtic midfield admission puts control first

Scoring goals matters. However, midfielders also shape how a team responds when a match begins to turn against it.

Can they give a defender an easy pass? Can they hold possession long enough to let teammates recover their positions? Who challenges for the loose ball?

These details can look ordinary until a team stops doing them.

Baur’s comments invite us to examine that side of Celtic’s performances. An attacking contribution should earn praise, but it cannot settle every question about midfield balance.

Nor should McGregor’s experience leave him carrying every responsibility on his own.

The partnership must work when Celtic have the ball and when they are trying to win it back.

Baur’s honesty needs a response on the pitch

In earlier comments reported by Celtic Quick News, Baur described Celtic as “too passive” against Celta Vigo.

That is a blunt assessment from someone involved.

As a supporter, I welcome a player recognising that Celtic must do more. But honesty after a defeat should lead to clear work on the training pitch.

Otherwise, the same admissions become part of the routine.

Martin O’Neill and his coaches must give the midfield a structure that helps players make sound decisions under pressure. The players must then show the urgency and concentration to carry it out.

Responsibility runs through both.

Belief must have something behind it

We have already examined Sutton’s warning about Celtic’s direction. Our piece on Friel’s criticism of European ambition also asked questions of those running the club.

Those wider concerns remain. They do not remove the need to improve the football within this squad.

I want Baur to succeed. More importantly, I want Celtic to develop the composure to manage difficult spells without surrendering the initiative.

That requires teammates offering options, clear instructions and players willing to take responsibility.

Baur has supplied the words.

Now Celtic must show that accepting responsibility can lead to taking control.