‘I stayed on at Celtic because of Brendan Rodgers,’ Armstrong

STUART ARMSTRONG, back in Glasgow for the first time since his move from Celtic to Southampton, yesterday reflected on the the change of footballing environments. And he revealed the reason he didn’t leave Celtic a year earlier.

He’s back on Scotland duties and he’ll be playing with his former Celtic team-mates and also Andy Robertson who he played alongside at Dundee United. So what does the man with the best song in football think about the change?

“It’s different,” Armstrong said. “It’s always challenging when you go to a new team, a new environment. It has taken a bit of time to get used to the different styles. But it’s a fresh challenge and I’m excited about that.

“Because I was Dundee United and then Celtic, it was eight years of playing the same teams over and over again. The fixture list excites me, going to these new places, new stadiums that you have watched on the TV and been to as a young boy. That’s exciting,” he continued.

Armstrong signed a one year extension after the Invincible season so that he could have another campaign working under the impressive Brendan Rodgers. But he always had an eye on the English Premiership and in June he got his move when Southampton beat off a number of other Premier League sides to win the race to sign the midfielder. Celtic received fee of £7million.

Armstrong explained what happened.

“The time was right. The summer before, I had some thoughts about it, but I had had one season with Brendan Rodgers, and I wanted another.

“I knew in the back of my head that, ultimately, the time would come when I wanted a fresh challenge, and if I didn’t take it, I would probably have regretted it. It was about changing for a bit of experience and trying something new.”

Armstrong was well paid at Celtic but could be considered a middle earner in that Celtic squad. His take home pay is not maybe increased by a factor of five.

And he’ll always have his medals from Celtic, and his song…one more time!