“Football should be played on grass,” Sead Hakšabanović stated at yesterday’s Media Conference ahead of tomorrow’s lunchtime against Livingston at Almondvale Stadium. The Celtic forward has plenty of experience playing on artificial surfaces back home in Sweden but does not consider them to be anywhere good enough for top flight football.
And Ange Postecoglou also spoke about this yesterday, noting that Dutch football who had gone in big with the introduction of artificial surfaces to their game – and theirs are of a much higher standard that the pitches at Livingston and Kilmarnock – are now being withdrawn from the Dutch league. And the Celtic manager also praised some of the grass pitches his side has played on in the Scottish Premiership this season.
Sead Hakšabanović certainly is well aware of the challenges an away day to Livingston holds for Celtic. “Yes, it is my first visit. My team mates have told me a little about it. And they said it is tough playing there. But, you know, every game is tough in this league and in the Champions League so it is like they say: ‘no easy games’.
“We just have to score more goals than them. As a football player you want to play games more than you want to train. It is tough for us but we know we have a good squad, and we have a lot of players. We just have to make sure that we bring what we do in the Champions League to the league.”
Hakšabanović also discussed playing alongside the likes of Kyogo and Giorgos Giakoumakis in the Celtic attack and also how much he is enjoying playing his football at Celtic, where the style played under Ange Postecoglou is a perfect fit for the Montenegro International forward.
“I love playing with them. They are both good players. The whole squad are good players.I am still new and I am still trying to learn how everyone plays. But I am enjoying myself.
“Hopefully soon I can get in 100 per cent with the team and how they play and how we play. I mean in terms of being new here. I am learning all about the players and everyone and how we play.
“The manager is very clear in what he wants from me. And I know I have his support otherwise I wouldn’t be here. I have been doing some extra work with Harry (Kewell) as well. They are all there for me and I am just very happy about that,” Hakšabanović stated.
“I like it here. I am enjoying myself. I like the league. I think it is a good league with a good level.”
Here’s Sead Hakšabanović’s Media Conference ahead of tomorrow’s match at Livingston.
