Adam Idah confessed that his start to life as a permanent player at Celtic has not gone to plan in yesterday’s media conference at Lennoxtown…
The Irishman signed from Norwich City in the summer for a hefty £9 million fee and has only started five matches across all competitions for the Hoops since arriving from the Canaries.
Competition for places at the top of the pitch is heating up, and with a reasonably comfortable fixture in sight this afternoon against Ross County, Idah may get the nod ahead of Kyogo.
Netting on seven occasions in 18 games this season, Idah has been a frustrated figure often coming off the bench expected to make an instant impact.
His double last Saturday at Tynecastle exemplified his capabilities as a finisher and should give the Republic of Ireland internationalist confidence ahead of a congested fixture list for Celtic until the New Year.
Brendan Rodgers’ side are working midweek to Saturday over the course of December and January, therefore, squad rotation will be key in keeping players fresh.
Idah alongside a few others such as Paulo Bernardo and Luke McCowan could be used in the starting XI more often in the coming weeks.
Speaking to the media at the press conference yesterday, the 23 year-old forward admitted that he expected the transition from Norfolk to Glasgow to be slightly smoother.
“(It’s) Probably not the start I wanted. I think, comparing it to last season and finishing on such a high, I thought I’d come in and score a load of goals and whatnot, so it was probably not the start I wanted,” he said.
“When I reflect back, if I look at my pre-season, I didn’t have the best of pre-seasons, and it’s only the last couple of days I looked at my stats, and I think I’ve got a goal every 70 minutes. I think, as a striker, you have to look at that and be proud of that and keep going.”
Idah continued, “obviously for me, the goal is to score as many goals as I can. That’s what I’m trying and when I see stats like that, I just have to remind myself, it’s not as bad as I thought it was going like. I just have to keep doing what I’m doing and keep scoring goals.”
Conor Spence
CELTIC IN THE THIRTIES, VOLUMES ONE & TWO BY MATT CORR – OUT NOW! Order your signed copies below…
Don’t do stats as can be very misleading?
Idah would have a better goal to minutes ratio than kyogo this season?
Yet Idah all round game is nowhere near what kyogo offers ourselves at present imo?
Yet there are games such as today, where I hope to see Idah being far more influential within his role for the team?
Luckily for idah his goal to minutes ratio is fairly decent at present, so confidence is far from shattered at present?
But idah is starting to realise that the honeymoon period is well over with ourselves now, and within the category of having to produce more, in order to gain his recognition within this Celtic team?
The big fees paid for Idah and Engels seems to be a heavy weight upon there shoulders at present?
Big fees for Scottish football admittedly, but both are still contributing for ourselves, but for many it’s not at the value of the fees paid?
Don’t buy into that really, as both valuable assets within our squad, and hope that remains the case for a good while to come also?