RYAN CHRISTIE was delighted to get named in the starting eleven for the game at Dens Park on Wednesday evening and was as pleased as punch to to continue his goalscoring run that started in spectacular fashion at Murrayfield last Sunday.
Since then he has gone from being a candidate for the squad culling in January – as Brendan Rodgers looks to reduce the number of bodies in the squad while at the same time add additional quality signings – to being on the verge of signing a new long term deal to remain at the Champions. That suits the former Inverness midfielder just fine – it has indeed been a very good week for Ryan Christie and for Celtic.
“For my goal on Wednesday, it was a fabulous through ball from Odsonne and all I had to do was stick it past the keeper. I was happy to score again but it was even better that the result was already in the bag,” Christie told the media yesterday.
“I’m delighted that Odsonne got his goal because he deserved it for his tremendous link-up play.
“It was good. We wanted to build on the win over Hearts so we’re delighted to have done that but we also have another two big games in the next week.”
Celtic ‘welcome’ Hearts to Celtic Park tomorrow in what is going to be a wet and windy day apparently. Three points will take us to within a point of them and we have a game in hand. Last week’s win at Murrayfield got Celtic to a Cup Final in December and the second half of the Europa League group starts on Thursday and there is surely grounds for optimism that Celtic could perhaps take care of the two Red Bull teams and win in Norway to go through. It’s a possibility especially with Celtic hitting some pretty impressive form.
Okay we lost in Salzburg and Leipzig but games at Celtic Park are an entirely different matter – especially when the ground is full.
Christie recognises the quality that surrounds him in this Celtic team.
“It’s easy for me to come into this side – all I have to do is pass the ball to them!
“With Scott Brown injured, Callum comes in there and he uses the ball so well. Every time he gets on it he wants to pass it forward. For the likes of myself and Tom in front of him, that’s an absolute joy,” Christie noted.
The 23 year old knows that despite his goals and impressive displays he is by no means guaranteed a start tomorrow, although you would think he shouldn;t need to lose any sleep worrying about that!
“We’ll see what happens on Saturday. We’ve had a few injuries and that’s made everyone aware that they always need to be ready.
“Due to the ridiculous amount of games between now and the end of the year there will be a lot of rotation so it’s all about coming in and making an impact when that opportunity comes. Hopefully, we can continue to do that,’ Christie said.
The ideas that the manager drills into the players every day in training really is showing dividends after a shaking start to the season when goals were extremely hard to come by for a Celtic team that just wasn’t clicking. It’s working fine now though!
“That’s a philosophy the manager is very keen on,” Christie explained. “Ever since he came through the door, we’ve worked on what we do off the ball and you need to be fit to deal with that.
“Fair play to all the boys but especially our wingers because the miles they clock up in every game is really impressive.
“On nights like Wednesday the pressing really pays off. We had it down to a tee.”
Christie has had to adapt, listen to what Rodgers was telling him, bulk up, go away on loan to a decent Aberdeen side and then come back ad try to make an impact in what is the final year of his current Celtic deal since arriving from Inverness in a £500k deal three years ago.
“It hasn’t been easy – it’s been a long, drawn-out process which started when I first joined Celtic. It’s nice that it’s finally paying dividends after a few years but it was something I knew I was going to have to work on.
“The sports science staff at the club are great and they’d send me all sorts of programmes to ensure I’m bulking up in the right way but also staying lean. However, I still have plenty more to do,” the midfielder stated.
Looking ahead to tomorrow’s eagerly anticipate match which is a First v Second / League Leaders v Champions match, Christie is keen to dish out more Capital punishment to the Edinburgh side.
“Everyone can now see the confidence we’re showing going forward. Hopefully, that will give other teams the fear of coming up against us, knowing that we can punish them.
“We just need to keep our heads down and maintain momentum. We just need to keep performing – we don’t have the time to be happy about this result because we’re too busy concentrating on getting the next one.”
Also on The Celtic Star today…
David Potter on The Painful, the Delightful and the Bizarre…See HERE.
Box clever, ignore the Poppy and enjoy Rebs Lite Beautiful Sundays…See HERE.
Jim Craig – Celtic’s Davie McLean and Scott Duncan…See HERE.
