James kept Pat Roberts out for a time last season & that tells you just how good he is!

HAYES A BIG FAN OF FORREST

HIGHLY IMPRESSIVE James Forrest played a more adavanced role for Celtic in the 5-0 win over Sunderland JONNY HAYES reckons James Forrest is the scariest speed merchant in Scotland and is just the man to strike terror in Trondheim.

Celtic wideman Hayes (below) might have a jetpack on his back but admits when he was at Aberdeen it was Forrest who gave him nightmares when the pair went toe to toe.

The Hoops are looking for a flash of Champions League magic to leave Rosenborg in their wake and after surging past Sunderland on Saturday Hayes is convinced his new Parkhead pal is the man to show Rosenborg a clean pair of heels.

Forrest was a surprise starter up front in the 5-0 Stadium of Light slaughter and burned up the Black Cats as Callum Mcgregor slotted a superb hat-trick with Hayes and Stuart Armstrong notching in the morale-boosting friendly flaying. The tonking was just the tonic after strikerless Celts drew a blank against Rosenborg last week.

Leigh Griffiths faces a different kind of race for Wednesday’s return as the clock ticks on his chances of shaking off a calf injury in time to take on the Norse men. But Hayes (above) is convinced Forrest is ready to fire if Griff can’t get out of the starting blocks.

He said: “Whenever I dropped into left-back for Aberdeen, James was the only player in the league I was worried about doing me for pace on the outside.

“Even if you try to make it a foot race he’s got that intelligence to come in and he’s decent on his left foot. “He’s the only player with pace I was ever worried about, although I don’t think Scotty Sinclair will be too happy to hear that.

“He’s got a terrific turn of pace, I’ve always been a big admirer of him.” Forrest is usually firing on the wing but it was up front he caught the eye against Sunderland, along with hat-trick hero Mcgregor and Eboue Kouassi.

Hayes said: “James was outstanding up front. Being a wide player, his movement was great. He moved the centre-halves and midfielders about the pitch.

“I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves. He is a clever player as a winger. He knows when to keep the ball and is of the highest calibre, having been at Celtic for almost a decade. “James kept Paddy Roberts out the team for a long time last year and that shows how good he is.

“On his day, nobody can touch him and if he goes and plays that role through the middle in midweek he can do more than just a job.”