Write off Kasper Schmeichel at Celtic at your peril as criticism of him is miles offside

There's a variation of the famous old Antti Niemi gag that’s been doing the rounds this week.

The classic went on the lines of a phone-in caller asking why the former Rangers and Hearts keeper hadn’t been called up for Scotland.

Because he’s Finnish, came the host’s reply.

He’s no finished, he’s only 28…

This week it’s been about Kasper Schmeichel. He’s no Finnish, he’s a Dane…

Except Schmeichel is a decade on from 28 and some folk are saying he IS finished.

Which is a bit extraordinary really. Okay, the big fella chucked one in at the weekend in the Scottish Cup Final to help gift Aberdeen the trophy and sink the Celtic's Treble hopes.

It was a costly blunder given the Dons had barely had a poke at goal for 83 minutes in the kind of rope-a-dope performance that would have Muhammed Ali blushing.

But that doesn’t mean Schmeichel should chuck it altogether. Folk have short memories.

It wasn’t so long ago the Denmark legend was producing one of the greatest Champions League displays ever seen.

He was sensational against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Area and without him, Celtic wouldn’t have won the Moral Victory Cup in Germany.

And it wasn’t a one off either.

Schmeichel proved to be an inspirational signing for Brendan Rodgers last summer and he played a massive part in Celtic winning the Double.

They did win a Double remember? Which is usually a very good thing, even if Celtic fans have been acting as though their team got relegated last weekend.

Anyway, the great Dane was one of the star performers of the season and he was the ideal man to replace Joe Hart on the pitch and in the dressing room.

The majority of punters who look at the bigger picture know that too. And they should also see that Schmeichel can have a big