When will we see progress after appointing Hearts set piece coach?
Celtic moved to bring in a specialist set-piece coach this summer.
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When will we see progress after appointing Hearts set piece coach?
When Celtic appointed Ross Grant in June 26 it was met with some optimism despite a frustrating summer for the supporters. Celtic had added a set piece specialist to the coaching staff in a move that appeared to make a lot sense. With Gavin Strachan moving to West Brom, there was now a position available on the coaching team that would need replaced. Strachan had taken to dealing with set pieces at the club in recent years but this was often an area of frustration for the Celtic support. We rarely conceded direct from corners or free kicks but we didnāt really look much of threat in the other box either. Set pieces have long been identified as an area for improvement so itās nice to see the club follow Hearts and Rangers in appointing someone specific to that role. Given the small margins in football, particularly at the top level in the Champions League, this is a welcome move.
Ross Grant has come to Celtic after managing set pieces for Hearts last season, where they scored an impressive 23 goals from dead ball situations. Compare that to Celticās 10. The fact the club made an assertive move to bring in Ross before McInness could take him to Rangers is the kind of move to be applauded. If someone in the league proves they are better than you at something then go and get them. You have that capability at Celtic.
After a full preseason we now need to see whether Celtic will look more of a threat at set pieces. After one game you canāt realistically judge. We need to wait and see what happens the next few months before deciding whether there has been an improvement or not.
Set-pieces can help define seasons
Modern football places enormous emphasis on dead-ball situations. Across Europe, clubs invest heavily in specialist coaches because they recognise that one well-worked corner or free-kick can be the difference between winning and losing. Look at Arsenal. The gunner heavily relied on set pieces on the way towards their league title win last season. The rewards for these small margins can be huge. Itās about time Celtic started putting importance on these different aspects of the game.
Final thoughts
Hopefully this is an area we see a difference in with the appointment of Ross Grant. It may take time, but with HĆøgh, Trusty, Scales, and Carter- Vickers, theres no reason we canāt see more attacking success this season. It may take time, but he has a track record to point towards at Hearts that brought them success in this area. Hereās hoping he can do the same at Celtic.
Tim Lisbon
All views expressed on Celtic DNA are personal opinions and are for commentary and discussion purposes only
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