DANIEL ARZANI probably had more reason than most to appreciate Celtic’s 2-1 win over Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup. For the 21 year old, who is on loan at Celtic from Manchester City ‘football factory’ (will he ever play for City? You would have to doubt it), the closing minutes of that Scottish Cup encounter were highly significant.
He came on for the first time since his horrible knee injury on his Celtic debut up at Dens Park in late October 2018.
“It’s been an incredibly long time that I’ve been out, so it means the world to me to be back out on the pitch and doing what I love,” the Australian winger told this week’s edition of Celtic View.
“I’m really happy with how I’ve progressed in the last couple of weeks.
“Neil Lennon has been great with me. I’ve had a couple of chats with him. He’s told me to keep working hard in training week in, week out and take any chances that come my way.
“I’ve been injured the whole time the manager has been here so I know I have a lot of work to do to earn an opportunity.
“Being unavailable has been a frustrating thing for me and I’m sure its been frustrating for him too.
“I’m just glad to be back and able to prove something to him. I feel I have enough time to prove a point to him but I know I can’t waste a second in training or a game.
“I need to be at my best every moment if I’m going to get a chance. All I can do now is play it by ear from now until the end of the season.”
Daniel Arzani will hope he gets the chance to impress Neil Lennon before the end of the season. He is regarded as a big prospect back home in Australia, and his appearances as a teenager at the World Cup in Russia in summer 2018 suggested that he’d have a major impact in the game.
However after arriving at Celtic via signing for Manchester City he finally got his chance from the bench at Dens Park as Celtic were costing to a high scoring victory, looked exciting then seemed to catch his studs in the turf and was stretched off.
The injury was serious and long-term. So it’s only now that he’ll have the chance to impress Neil Lennon – who obviously returned to Celtic as manager while the Australian was still in rehab.
With both Scotty Sinclair and Lewis Morgan leaving the club and Marian Shved seemingly out in the cold, it could all combine to give Daniel Arzani his chance.
It will then be up to him whether he can take it or not.
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