Barkas in fight to save Celtic career after late-season development – McLeish
Alex McLeish has suggested Vasilis Barkas is in a fight to save his Celtic career after returning to the starting XI.
The former Scotland boss, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, insisted a new manager would have to make a “quick decision” whether the 26-year-old has a future at Parkhead.
The Greece international was handed a rare start against St Johnstone on Wednesday after Scott Bain was ruled out through injury.
It was Barkas’ first start since January and only his fifth league appearance since October.
He managed to keep the Saints at bay on the way to a 4-0 win for the Bhoys.
However, McLeish admitted there are still serious questions over the goalkeeper’s future ahead of the summer.
“I think the jury’s still out,” McLeish told Football Insider assistant editor Russell Edge.
“People haven’t taken to him. When it happens early in your Old Firm career, or any career almost, you tend to think it’s not going to happen.
“I remember somebody telling me if you were unsure about a player, then you had to make a quick decision, rather than thinking he’ll come good.
“He must have had something to have caught the eye but you could say the Celtic recruitment hasn’t been quite what it should be. There’s been a lot of questions, it gets asked every week.”
Barkas joined Celtic for a reported £4.5million-plus last summer as Fraser Forster and Craig Gordon both left Parkhead.
He has a total of 21 appearances and 10 clean sheets under his belt for the Bhoys to date.
In other news, McLeish has admitted he “was wrong” about Celtic “game-changer” as footage emerges.