Celtic signed Arne Engels from FC Augsburg during the summer transfer window, and the 21-year-old midfielder has quickly made an impact, contributing three goals and six assists in 13 appearances across all competitions this season.
Engels’ strong performances for Celtic helped him earn a call-up to Belgium’s national squad in September. However, despite his form, he was not included in coach Domenico Tedesco’s squad for the November international break.
Earlier today, Tedesco addressed the media following the announcement of the squad for Belgium’s UEFA Nations League matches against Italy and Israel. The manager discussed the inclusion of Napoli striker Romelu Lukaku, who recently criticized some of the newer players in the squad for their perceived lack of effort. In response, Tedesco used Engels as an example to highlight the importance of hard work and the diversity of players’ experiences.
“You can’t generalize everyone, as each player has their own character and comes from a different club and country,” Tedesco said. “Arne Engels, for instance, plays for the title and in the Champions League with Celtic. Many young players are excelling at their clubs, and you can’t sum that up in just one sentence.”
Tedesco also sent a clear message to the young players, including Engels, stressing that opportunities won’t be given indefinitely.
“I won’t keep giving endless chances. The young players are being pushed, and it’s up to them whether they take it or not,” he explained. “You won’t always see immediate results, but we’ve played well at home against France, and we were also good for an hour against Italy.”
Tedesco further emphasized the need for a “winning mentality” in his squad, noting, “Every player is different, and many have made significant progress. Arne Engels, for example, plays for the title at Celtic, but they all need to push themselves. If they hadn’t, they wouldn’t be here.”
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