Liel Abada’s international boss has made some waves in recent days with his comments on the Israeli winger’s contract situation at Celtic and whether a new deal being offered but not yet signed has had an impact on Abada’s game time with the club.
It would be easy to add two and two together and get five on this one and believe Alon Hazan’s comments have been conveniently placed to remind Celtic of unfinished business requiring attention, or to help highlight a perceived impasse in negotiations as a window of opportunity for other clubs to make their move.
Yet Abada himself, as quoted in Daily Record certainly seems unconcerned. Even missing out on a starting spot for Sunday’s League Cup Final hasn’t seemed to lead to the player questioning his worth to his manager or his role in Celtic’s continuing ascent. Instead, when called upon from the bench against theRangers the Israeli winger was far more concerned with the role he had to play in ensuring Celtic got over the line than any thoughts of himself.
“When I went on the manager told me to just work hard. That’s it, just work hard and when we are attacking be focused 100 percent. I’m really happy about Sunday. It was very important for us and we’ve got more targets this season and we keep going.
“It is up to the manager who starts the game or not. I just wanted to come on and try to impact the game and to win for the team and everyone connected to Celtic,” Liel Abada said. “I just have to work hard and try to do my best to help the team when I get the opportunity. I think the manager has built a team that stays together no matter what is happening.
“We are all in it together and we work hard every single day to have success. We always look to play the Celtic way but that togetherness is the key to our success.”
Perhaps part of the reason why Abada is leaving contract negotiations to Michael Nicholson and his representatives may well be his focus is aimed squarely at improving himself as a player.
And although Ange Postecoglou clearly has the youngster’s respect and admiration, it is another Aussie who also appears to have earned his complete respect, with Abada pointing to Harry Kewell as a major influence on his continued development as an attacking threat, with Gavin Strachan also name-dropped as helping Abada realise his full potential.
“I didn’t watch Harry as I was still young. I don’t remember that. I watched videos after I met him and he was very, very good and had an amazing career. It is a pleasure for me to learn from this player. Just work hard and it is very good he looks after us.
“I think we can learn a lot from him because he played in the Premier League and had an amazing career. He teaches us a lot about the football because we are young players and want to get better all the time. It is very important for us that he looks after us,” Abada revealed.
“I feel like I am a better player than I was last season to be honest. I think I can still learn a lot from the manager and his coaching staff to get even better. Gavin and Harry do it with me every time. I just want to get better for me, the team, the club, everyone.
“Everyone has helped me to get better, that’s the coaches and the players too. I look to improve my performances every time I get to play for the club. You have to do your best every day and that’s what I try to do. I think this season to get the left-back one on one more and get confidence. The players help me with that and the coaches do extra with me after training.
“Help me with what to do, what not to do, what is better for me, what is not better for me. I just learn and want to get better and better.”
There is no real rush you would have thought for Liel Abada’s contract situation to be remedied immediately, after all the player still has three and a half years remaining on his contract.
Instead, the more pressing concern for Abada may be his lack of starts – he has made just nine in the Scottish Premiership this season – but Abada doesn’t seem overly concerned with that either. Instead, his focus seems to be on the team he plays for maximising its potential and in turn the knowledge he himself will benefit as a result.
At 21 years of age Liel Abada already seems to have an old head on young shoulders. He appears an ambitious and driven young man who knows his career is only just beginning and he’s lucky to be at a club whereby developing a mindset of living in the moment and pushing each other on is prevalent. He also seems more than happy with the standard of coaching he is receiving and understanding of how that will help him achieve his career goals.
I think we’d all like to see Liel Abada sign a contract extension with Celtic, but with no rush to do so it is reassuring to know the player himself is fully focused on the present and leaving his future for others to sort out.
Niall J
