KRIS AJER enjoyed the Ajax win over Real Madrid on Tuesday night in the Champions League and no doubt the equally as impressive win for what was effectively a Manchester United reserve side in Paris last night so shock PSG and eliminate them from the competition.
Both these results seem to be somewhat symbolic and offer hope that these giant, financially doped giants of the European game can be beaten – on their home turf – and knocked out of the Champions League – by basically a bunch of home grown young players.
“To have so many young players producing such a fine performance against a team that’s won the Champions League for the last three years was really impressive,” the Norwegian said, talking about the Ajax win in Madrid yesterday afternoon before the trend continued in Paris last night.
And the young Norwegian defender reckons it provides a pathway for clubs like Celtic and certainly gives hope to players like him at clubs like Celtic that we CAN compete in that competition after all.
“It shows that, if you have a really good structure for a number of years, then you can deliver good results.
“We can use that to inspire us because we have a really good pathway for our academy players at this club. You have to respect that some clubs can afford to buy the top, top players.
“But also if you build up the way Celtic have been doing, and the way Ajax have done, it’s possible to create a system where you’re not only selling great players but also bringing really good players through you can keep.
“It was impressive to watch them against Real Madrid,” Ajer noted in his press conference at Lennoxtown.
Players like Mikey Johnston and Ewan Henderson have emerged this season and provide further evidence that Celtic are at last developing quality and perhaps quantity from the development structure at Lennoxtown. Of course we all know that Kieran Tierney, James Forrest and Callum McGregor and all Academy supplied key members of the current Celtic crop but more need to follow.
“You’ll have seen recently some of the excellent players who’ve come through our youth system to play in the first team.
“They are playing and training at a high level, they’re at a club where young players will be brought through and they have been given that opportunity,” Ajer said.
Looking at the departure of sneaky Rodgers and Co and arrival of Neil Lennon together with the promotional of John Kennedy and Damien Duff, Ajer had his say on it all yesterday.
“Obviously, a lot of stuff has happened but the group has coped with that and the gaffer has come in and really helped us in terms of looking forward.
“The two wins we’ve had have shown the importance of that. Of course I knew of him. I’d watched a lot of Celtic clips before I came to the club.
“I saw how he played and what he was like as a manager. I’m really looking forward to working with him and learning from him. The gaffer has been fantastic with the whole squad here.
“It was a difficult situation where the other manager suddenly changed job. But I think he’s been fantastic in terms of taking care of everyone and really showing that everyone will get an opportunity here at the club.
“The way he’s been talking with me, I had a really nice chat with him this week when he told me what he was thinking and what his plans were.
“He did that with a few of the boys. He’s talked with a few of the players to get an understanding of them and learn more from them, and for us to learn more from him.
“In any club when there’s a change of manager there’s always a bit of excitement in terms of who is going to play and who gets a chance.
“But the manager has been fantastic for the whole squad. He’ll give everyone an opportunity and now we have to perform in training and matches.”
Ajer at 21 is really coming of age as a Celtic defender and with Dedryck Boyata out of contract in the summer and likely to leave and Filip Benkovic heading back to Leicester to join up with Rodgers & Co, the responsibility levels are going to go through the roof for the Norwegian. However he has been very well prepared for the tasks that lie ahead.
“I’ve played a lot of games here now and it’s such a massive club. I feel like I’m really developing in every single game.
“I feel I’ve grown a lot, not only ability-wise but in terms of leadership and taking a role there.
“I also have so many players to thank. We have a captain here who’s unbelievable and has been fantastic throughout this change. I think Broony is a top, top player and he’s shown that for so many years at Celtic.
“To play at this club for so many years at the level he’s been at is an unbelievable achievement. He’s been helping the whole squad over the past week. You’ve seen the way he is in games and the goals he’s scored.
“He’s been a leader throughout the whole thing, but we have a lot of them in the squad,” Ajer noted.
Looking ahead to the crucial games that Celtic face, Ajer appreciates that they will be tough but reckons that his teammates have what it takes to cope and succeed.
“There are big games coming up throughout the season,” he noted.
“We know that Aberdeen is a really strong team and will make it difficult. We just have to keep the form going and to put in a strong performance.
“We know that if you get too carried away and start thinking too far ahead, then you start losing games.
“We need to think about Aberdeen, then Dundee — the next two games before the international break and, hopefully, get two strong results.”
