I will Maik up for the lost time

GOOD TO BE BACK Maik Nawrocki is feeling positive

DETERMINED Maik Nawrocki admits he’s starting on his Celtic journey all over again.

And the £4million defender is adamant he’s returned stronger after dealing with a lengthy absence during his initial spell at Celtic.

Nawrocki is back in business after a hamstring injury halted his initial progress following a move from Legia Warsaw.

The 22-year-old started the first three competitive games of the season for boss Brendan Rodgers before being slammed on to the sidelines.

Nawrocki sustained the injury in mid-august last year and did not make a first-team return until appearing as a sub against Rangers in late December.

But the defender has started Celtic’s last two games against St Mirren and Buckie Thistle and, asked if it felt like a fresh start, he said: “I think yes, because in the beginning I played like three games and then I had three months out.

“So maybe now, yes, this feels like the start of the journey. It has made me stronger as a person, of course.

“If you train for a long time, you can work on different things and mentally it wasn’t easy, but you have to make the best out of it and I did that.”

Nawrocki admits it’s nice to be back in the thick of the action and continued: “It feels very good because it was a very long time that I didn’t play, but I have played a few games in a row now.

“It was very difficult when I came and got the injury which kept me out for a long time. To get back was hard but sometimes football is not easy.

“I just worked hard the whole time and prepared myself for the moment when I came in.

“It’s not easy as a new player when you come here and don’t play but I was happy with the three games I played before the injury, because they were good.”