Is it safe to say that some Celtic fans were quite disappointed after Arne Engels’ departure to Championship side West Ham United? Well, Engels has now made a statement that surely will not please Parkhead fans either.
On August 15, the Belgian midfielder’s departure to West Ham was confirmed in a deal worth around €25.7 million. The departure took place before the club’s elimination from the UEFA Champions League playoffs at the hands of LASK.
Head coach Martin O’Neill lamented the player’s departure at the time and has since reiterated that in recent days. Other pundits and former players, such as former Celtic player Chris Sutton, have also criticized the club’s sporting management, specifically for not having an ideal replacement ready.
Now, after the London derby between West Ham and Millwall (2-2, Sept. 19), Engels compared it to the Old Firm Derby between Celtic and Rangers, saying both are on the same level.
Engels Says West Ham vs. Millwall Is ‘Up There’ With Celtic vs. Rangers
He told West Ham TV, “It’s up there! To be honest, it was a really intense game. It’s all about the fan base, to be honest, and we want to make our fan base really proud, and I hope we did that a little bit.”
“But yeah, it’s definitely up there (with Celtic vs. Rangers). It’s a really intense atmosphere. You really feel the crowd on you, and I’m sure when they are coming to the London Stadium, they will feel the same.”
Engels made 100 official appearances for Celtic between August 2024 and August 2026, scoring 17 goals. Since his arrival at West Ham, he has already made nine appearances, seven in the Championship and two in the Carabao Cup, and has already recorded two assists in the league.
Engels’ comments come at a particularly negative moment for the team. Celtic have just lost their two most recent derbies against Rangers, 3-0 on September 13 in the League Cup quarter-finals and 1-0 on September 20 in Matchday 7 of the Premiership.
In addition, The Hoops also lost 3-1 to Fenerbahçe on Thursday, September 17, in the UEFA Europa League.
Despite this, The Bhoys remain in first place in the league table with 18 points after seven matches played, with a record of six wins and one defeat.
Neil Lennon Says O’Neill Still Has Energy to Manage Celtic
Despite the difficult period the team is going through, some believe that coach O’Neill wants to stay at the club.
Neil Lennon, who has always said that he considers O’Neill to be something of a father figure, has told Sky Sports (h/t Daily Record) that the Irishman still has the energy to continue in charge and that this is what he wants to happen, but that it is normal for him to be under pressure in situations like these.
He said, “Martin is clearly hurting; he’s smarting about it. The break has come at a good time for him; he can recuperate, get some sun. He still feels he’s got the energy to do it, but when you get a week like this, you’ll come under a lot of scrutiny.”
Celtic Fans Won’t Like Arne Engels’ Latest Admission