James Forrest’s vast experience can help the current Celtic squad get the title across the line, reckons his former Celtic teammate Joe Ledley. The former Wales international midfielder reckons the Scottish Premiership title race is too close to call this season, so it could come down to fine margins who ends up with their noses in front.
And one such fine margin could be the contribution that veteran Celtic winger James Forrest can bring in the closing weeks of this campaign where less experienced players may struggle to handle the intense pressure which is set to build week-by-week until the title’s destination is settled.
Ledley has admired James Forrest’s career at Celtic from near and far and reckons that his know-how in winning major honours – and few in the Scottish game have collected more winners medal than Jamesy with 11 League titles, six Scottish cups and five League cups so far. And the serial winner can help Celtic to a double to take his own total to 12 League titles, seven Scottish cups and five League cups – a grant total of 24 major honours in a glittering Celtic career.
What the future holds for Jamesy at Celtic beyond this season is unclear. Brendan Rodgers has always been a huge admirer of Forrest and even now names him as the best winger at the club. But he also talks about the intensity, tracking back and maybe Jamesy’s not got the legs for that as he once had. That could signal a summer exit from Celtic, but Jamesy probably doesn’t want to play football anywhere other than for Celtic.
That though is a concern for the summer and if Jamesy is thinking his time is up, alongside Joe Hart, then both will be determined to go out as winners.
“Obviously, Jamesy is very experienced now. It is definitely something that’s important and you only have to look back at what he has won for Celtic. It is remarkable,” Joe Ledley said, as reported by Daily Record.
“It’s great to see him getting some more minutes on the pitch as well now because he has been unfortunate with injuries in his career and also through this season. To have someone like that with that vast experience of having been there and done around the training ground and bringing people on is massive at any time, but even more so this time of a season.
“What you do off the pitch and away from a matchday can be just as valuable to a squad and to a manager. It is all about setting standards and making sure that everyone is up to speed.
“Also making sure everyone around the group realises how much this title, and any title, means to the club. Seeing him come on the other day against St Johnstone and scoring is fantastic, but he can play a massive role off the park, too.
“I know he has been limited with minutes at the moment with some of the other wingers doing so well. Daizen Maeda for example has been doing well and scored a hat-trick recently. It is going to be difficult for him to get in there but once you get that chance, it is all about making an impact and Jamesy has shown for a long time he is capable of doing that,” Ledley said.
“What a fantastic career he has had at Celtic. I remember when I signed he was just coming through into the first team and I’m sure it was Lenny who gave him his debut. You could see even way back then that he was going to be a special player. He had the pace and he had the balance and he just kept improving his game.
“He just started to get more and more goals and assists and he has been unlucky in the last few years with injury. He has always produced for the club,” the Welshman said.
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