Bit-part players from Celtic’s 9IAR run: Moritz Bauer

The Celtic Star

·27 May 2022

Bit-part players from Celtic’s 9IAR run: Moritz Bauer

With the close season approaching and the Premiership title safely back at Paradise, we can reflect on how impressive Ange’s debut season has been. The Australian came in and took Celtic from 25 points behind to winning a double (whilst rebuilding an impressive team).

With Tom Rogic and Nir Bitton leaving this summer, just Callum McGregor and James Forrest remain as players that were a big part of the 9IAR run which saw Celtic match their own record from 1974.

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This series will look at players that were easily forgotten during the 9IAR run. Next is the 2019/20 season’s entry – Moritz Bauer.

Moritz Bauer was signed in August 2019 from Stoke City on a season-long loan deal from the Championship side with any option to buy. Bauer was brought in as cover for Hatem Abd Elhamed as the club also signed youngster Jeremie Frimpong from Manchester City.

Bauer made his debut at Ibrox as a second half substitution and was hacked down by Jordan Jones as Celtic won the game 2-0. Lennon preferred Elhamed and Bauer seemed to be content with a bit-part role, usually starting on the bench.

Although the emergence of Jeremie Frimpong as a starter with Elhamed out injured meant that Bauer was essentially third-choice right-back at the club. The manager tried to give Bauer some games to keep him sweet, whilst rotating his side. Bauer played a couple of Europa League games and showed himself to be a competent right back that gave his all but Elhamed and Frimpong both appeared to be more suited to Celtic’s style of play.

In total, Bauer made 13 appearances for Celtic, with 9 of those coming in the league. Despite being a bit-part player, he was another player that contributed to Celtic’s 9IAR win.

After leaving Celtic, the Austrian fullback admitted that even if he didn’t play as much as he would have liked to, he didn’t regret the move to Celtic.

“I don’t want the season to end. It was an exciting experience for me at Celtic, even if it went bitterly for me.

“Losing my place wasn’t down to my performances. I’m 28, only on loan from Stoke and relatively expensive.

“I understand what happened because Celtic are building the experience of a younger player.”

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