If you could sum up the life of a Celtic player this season, it would be encapsulated in the downcast Olivier Ntcham.
The Frenchman, like many at Parkhead, has had a very disappointing campaign. His numbers – just one goal and one assist – have been terrible and he’s looked incredibly out of sorts.
Questions had arisen over the midfielder’s attitude and thus, he was removed from the team. The midfielder was rarely brought off the substitutes bench and as a result, was moved out on loan in January.
A move to Newcastle fell through but Marseille came calling. A trip back to France seemed an ideal place to revive his career but it’s been nothing short of a horror show so far.
Andre Villas-Boas left his role as Marseille boss in dramatic circumstances after disagreeing with Ntcham’s arrival before he put in a dismal showing last Wednesday.
The 25-year-old was withdrawn at half time having touched the ball on just 22 occasions and making a woeful eight passes. It was a game that saw him earn a 3/10 rating from the ruthless French outlet L’Equipe.
Yet, it’s only gone from bad to worse for Ntcham. At the weekend, he was withdrawn at half-time again as Marseille crashed out of the Coupe de France at the expense of Canet Roussillon, a team in the fourth tier.
This time, French newspaper La Provence gave him a 1/10 rating, describing the performance as “unacceptable.”
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Journalist Ludovic Ferro added: “A lot of sideways and backwards passes, when they weren’t completely sent into the void. Not helped by the lack of movement in front of him or on the sides, the former Celtic player also missed basic moves and didn’t bring anything to the table. Clearly lacking rhythm.”
Indeed, Ntcham managed just 37 touches during the encounter, a tally that happened to be a lower total than goalkeeper Scott Bain’s touches during Celtic’s 0-0 draw with Dundee United.
Ntcham failed to have a single shot, neither did he make a key pass. Considering the calibre of opposition he was up against, it’s a dismal tally.
This loan spell was meant to breathe fresh life into the £4.5m midfielder's season. Instead, it’s surely leaving any lingering hope of securing a bigger move completely out of the picture.