Erik Sviatchenko departed Celtic in the January transfer window on loan.
Celtic defender Erik Sviatchenko has told the Daily Record that he was “surprised” to be dropped by Brendan Rodgers earlier in the campaign following a nightmare spell with injuries.
The 26-year-old managed just two appearances for the Hoops during the first half of the season, in the form of Champions League qualifiers against Linfield and Rosenborg, the latter in which he was replaced in the 25th minute.
The Denmark international returned to fitness in January but Rodgers decided to ship him out on loan to former side FC Midtjylland until the end of the season, rather than give him another chance in the first team.
That move may be regretted by Rodgers, who has since seen Marvin Compper, Jozo Simunovic and Dedryck Boyata suffer injury. Sviatchenko questioned Rodgers decision to axe him from the Celtic side.
“I have never received or asked for an explanation about what happened to me at Celtic. I can only say that I played the first year under Brendan Rodgers, where we won virtually everything,” Sviatchenko said.
“But after an injury and a mistake that cost a goal, he dropped me. It surprised me. It has been hard because at one point or another – no matter how much self-confidence you have – you begin to doubt yourself.”
Without Sviatchenko, Rodgers re-entered the January market to ease his centre-back crisis by signing Jack Hendry from Dundee and it would appear that Sviatchenko has plummeted down the pecking order.
The powerhouse still has two years to run on his current contract, though it remains to be seen if he will return to Celtic’s first team next season after repeatedly talking about his desire to play in the English Premier League.
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