Hatem Elhamed sat out the 1-0 win over Dundee Utd on Saturday evening but is likely to be back in the Celtic team that plays Hungarian Champions Ferencvaros at Celtic Park on Wednesday evening. Jeremie Frimpong got the nod at Tannadice but Neil Lennon is likely to revert to the back-line that started the Champions League campaign in the thumping 6-0 win over KR Reykjavik.
The Arab-Israeli defender has been troubled by injuries in his first season at Celtic but hopes that he’s going to be able to put that behind him and contribute much more in his second season at the club. He’s also the second player over the last few days to sing the praises of the Celtic manager Neil Lennon, noting that the boost that the players get from their gaffer’s confidence in their ability is significant to say the least.
Elhamed shared some revealing insights into the way Neil Lennon manages his players. “He has told me that I am an experienced player and I have many qualities that he likes, so, yes, he trusts me in the big games and the big nights,” Elhamed told the media, as reported by Glasgow Times.
“And I am happy that I show him again and again that I deserve his trust and I am looking forward to playing good again, to keep myself fit and have a good season and stay free of injury.
“I came to Celtic and start my career here very good and I was happy for three months, then I had bad luck and get a big injury against Lazio and then I didn’t start an official game until the last game (before lockdown), so it was very strange for me because I’d never had such a large time out without being able to play football.
“But I focused on training to get myself fit and waiting for my chance to play again and show my qualities on the pitch and hopefully I can play more in the future.
“It was almost 10 months without a start and playing football. I played 30 minutes against Kilmarnock and that was good to get me ready to start in the Champions League. It was a good feeling for me and gave me confidence to go again and show my best.”
Elhamed is clearly looking to make up for lost time and Wednesday night’s Champions League action can’t come quickly enough for the Celtic defender.
