LEWIS MORGAN reckons that £3million summer signing from Rapid Vienna will establish himself in the Celtic side and win over the early the support after a couple of indifferent performances at the start of his time at the club.
Of course Boli Bolingoli has been given big boots to fill, trying to replace fans favourite Kieran Tierney who last Thursday left the club to sign for Arsenal for £25million.
The news broke just as Bolingoli and indeed Morgan had endured an uncomfortable and unconvincing night down Celtic’s left hand side in the 1-1 draw away to Cluj in the first leg of the Champions League Third Qualifying round.
That tie concludes tomorrow night at Celtic Park and both Bolingoli and Morgan will hope to retain their places, both having performed much better at Fir Park in the Saturday lunchtime kick-off which Celtic won 5-2.
“Boli’s got something to offer. We see it every day in training. He’s talented and first and foremost he works hard for the team,” Morgan said to the media as reported by Scottish Sun.
“He’s adapting to a new league and a new team and everybody has to remember that. We’ve got full confidence in him. I enjoy playing with him and so does Mikey Johnston. I’m sure he’s going to have a great season.
“It takes time to forge partnerships at new clubs. You saw with James Forrest’s goal where Boli made the underlap and I found him. Hopefully that’s something there can be more of because he’s an attacking full-back.
“We want to produce the attacking side of the game as well as the defensive side. We were disappointed to lose the goals, but we bailed ourselves out at the other end.
“Everyone knows the demands that exist at this club and no one’s underestimating any of that but the focus was on getting the win and we need to make sure that the focus is trying to win every single game,” the Celtic winger said.
The focus switches from Fir Park and the Scottish Premiership to the East End of Glasgow and the Champions League second leg against the Romanian Champions Cluj.
“We had a tough game in Romania. We wanted the win, but we got a great result and the backing of the support can give us that wee bit of edge on Tuesday,” Morgan said.
“We always fancy ourselves. We’re always set up to win. Everything until Saturday was about Motherwell. We made sure our focus was on them, but the focus now is Tuesday.
“The manager instils in the players it’s all about work. The fitness guys have got us right up to speed and I feel the fittest I ever have.
“Maybe the easiest part of the game is putting the yards in, but we got the five goals against Motherwell, which is great. It’s a big club, but we’ve got a great dressing room. Even the boys who aren’t playing feel part of it.
“There’s a great team spirit and everyone feels involved. The manager’s said that he trusts all of us. He made four changes and he said the four players who came in were all class players.
“That’s 12 goals in the first two league games, so we’re doing something right. The manager’s got us playing good attacking football.
“Personally I want to kick on and add goals and assists. The first one’s usually the hardest one to get. I do base my game around that, but it’s just not fallen for me.
“You’re judged on numbers as an attacking player and I’m not hiding away from that. I’m not going to put pressure on myself, but when I get the first one I’m sure I’ll kick on.
“Everyone’s helping out in terms of goals. You saw that with Kris’ run from right-back for the goal. We showed we’ve got players all over the park that can score and it’s good to see us getting goals from all over the pitch.”
Also on The Celtic Star…
To Lisbon and back on a fiver – Thursday 25 May, Champions of Europe…see HERE.