Christopher Jullien’s welcome return and that old ‘like a new signing’ cliche

With Reo Hatate now confirmed as signed, and alongside Daizen Maeda and Yosuke Ideguchi also pictured braving the elements at training today, it bodes well for Celtic getting off to a flying start against Hibs on 17 January to have all the new Bhoys getting up to speed. However – cliché alert – there was also a player pictured training today who will feel like a new signing.

The welcome return of Christopher Jullien to the first team fold is a defensive boost for the team but more so for the player who you feel must have been to hell and back after a year out the side.

That horrific injury sustained against Dundee United in the final game of 2020, must have taken both mental and physical endurance to return from, so to now only not be back training but also back in contention for some gametime it must be starting to feel like the mountain has been climbed and the descent is nearly complete for Jullien.

(Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Now Ange Postecoglou, according to his Celtic TV interview yesterday, https://thecelticstar.com/ange-postecoglou-interview-stay-alert-window-tease-daizen-maeda-almost-signed-last-summer-and-reo-ridiculous-talent-hatate/ is planning how to get the central defender some much needed minutes as he builds towards match sharpness for our £7m Centre half and it seems Celtic have defensive reinforcement as well as those attacking additions to strengthen the squad for a tilt at a treble – and perhaps a long overdue European run too.

(Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Jullien of course will still feel he has a lot to prove. Physically he’ll want to show the manager he is up to being selected and once he’s there he also has the best performing defence in the Scottish Premiership to break up, but if there is one thing Christopher Jullien hasn’t been short of in his time at Celtic it’s self-confidence and he’ll believe if he can get his body up the task and the minutes under his belt, he’ll soon be in a position to give the manager a selection headache.

If Jullien manages all of that, we know what we are getting with our French defender, a threat attacking and defending set pieces alongside additional height, in a team not exactly blessed with big yins. However, Jullien he’s also a leader and an organiser at the back, and a player who has been over the course of treble winning seasons before and is aware of the standards that demands.

That can only be good for teammates like Carter-Vickers, Starfelt and young Stephen Welsh -who has already shown his own promise is being noticed beyond Scotland with a recent Udinese loan to buy approach rebuffed by the club. After all, if the demands have seemed tough so far some of our players won’t know what has hit them should the league games slip by and the Celts are fighting the final stages for three further trophies.

This is where Christopher Jullien can truly play his part and lead by example. After all he only needs to show his League Cup Final winner against theRangers to show his teammates he’s been there, done it and can be relied upon. For now, Christopher Jullien will simply be happy to get back on the pitch and put his injury hell behind him. It’s been a long journey but it’s a fine sight to see the big man back in action.

Niall J

About Author

As a Bellshill Bhoy I was taken to my first Celtic game in the summer of 1987. It was Billy McNeill’s return to Celtic Park as manager and Celtic lost 5-1 to Arsenal . I thought I was a jinx, I think my Grandfather might have thought the same. It was the finest gift anyone ever gave me when he walked me through Parkhead's gates.

Comments are closed.