John Hartson has been impressed by new Celtic signing Luke McCowan’s positive attitude in backing himself to make an impact at the club after signing late on on transfer deadline day for a fee of £1m from Dundee.
McCowan’s route to his boyhood club is perhaps a fairytale that few would actually believe if the story wasn’t true, making his way from non-league football, getting spotted by Ayr United, developed by Ian McCall, transferred to Dundee where he moved position from a winger to a midfielder, becoming club captain and a stand-out performer in Dundee’s first season back in the top flight, helping them make the top six, taking a crucial point off theRangers and then getting that dream move to Paradise within just a few hours of the window closing.
Go Radio played a clip of McCowan’s early thoughts shortly after becoming a Celtic player and their pundit John Hartson was clearly impressed by what he was hearing on the Go Radio Football Show.
“Listening to that attitude there, I think it’s very bullish. He’s sending out a message that I haven’t come here to play second fiddle. He backs himself, which I think every player has to. That’s great. That’s the type of thing a manager actually wants to listen to. He’s got real character.
“So, I don’t think he’ll play every game. I think he will have to bide his time because we saw how good Bernardo was against (the)Rangers and then obviously Hatate and McGregor in there as well. But there’ll be injuries, there’ll be opportunities for him. There’s no doubt about that.
“I just like the fact that he’s backing himself really, really early after maybe one game. A Celtic fan, that just goes out the window. It’s great for the Celtic supporters, but that’s not going to make him play any well or any better. It’s just a great, great moment for him to join his boyhood club, but it doesn’t mean he’s going to play any better.”
For McCowan it’s one thing about living in dream, with playing for ourselves?
It’s a totally different experience with having to deal with the pressure and the expectations that our club demands?
With such a great temperament on show from McCowan, confident enough that the dream can become the reality of contributing hugely to our cause for the season ahead imo?
Still hope McCowan doesn’t experience what Duffy had to endure, when it was meant to be, living the dream when he signed for ourselves?
There already seems a fair bit of responsibility will be placed upon McCowan, with only 5 midfield options available within our 25man CL squad?
Potentially as a replacement for Hatate within many SPFL matches, is potentially massive boots to fill, especially with Hatate returning to form also?
Still don’t know why we took so long to sign McCowan eventually, especially when so much responsibility is going to be placed upon him, from the start without any real settling in period on offer to himself?
But Rodgers must be confident that McCowan will be able to handle, all that goes with being a Celtic player, and really looking forward to seeing McCowan living and contributing to the dream becoming his reality also?