Ross Grant is heading to Celtic, and the case for why this matters starts with Hearts' set-piece numbers. They scored 23 league goals from set-plays last season, the highest total in the Premiership, and 16 of those came from corners. Celtic managed only six league goals from corners, which is a clean enough reason for the move to draw attention.

Hearts' numbers explain the interest

Grant spent four years at Dundee United before a 12-month spell at Hearts. That short stint has become the headline because Hearts' set-play output was so strong. Their 23 set-play goals were more than a third of their league goals, which is a serious return for any coaching department, and it is hard not to notice how heavily that depended on corners.

BBC Scotland's feature on the move also captured the shift in how set-piece work is viewed. "Emphasising the importance of set-piece coaches is suddenly being met with fewer eye rolls and more nods of approval," it said. That is about the wider game as much as Celtic, but Grant arriving at Parkhead fits the trend. Martin O'Neill was direct too: "I know he is a highly rated coach and I look forward to working with him."

Celtic already have useful tools

This is not just about importing ideas, because Celtic already have players who can profit from better delivery. Celtic were eighth in chances created from set-plays last season, so there is room for improvement even in a title-winning campaign. Arne Engels took the third-most successful corners in the Premiership, Benjamin Nygren ranked third for goals scored from corners, and Daizen Maeda sat in the league's top five for headed shots.

That does not mean Grant arrives with a guarantee. It does mean the fit looks sensible. Hearts showed what a sharp set-piece operation can do, and Celtic have enough delivery and aerial threat to make a coaching hire feel more like a real summer addition than a backroom footnote.

The next thing to watch is whether that edge shows up quickly when Celtic get back to league action.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →