Flanks for everything
Roberts unsure if he’ll be back at Celtic as he returns to City with the grateful winger rating his time at Parkhead as more than 10
FOR the first time in his career Patrick Roberts is struggling to know which way to turn.
The Celtic winger is returning to parent club Manchester City in the summer for a pre-season programme that could prove make or break in his bid to cut it with Pep Guardiola at the Etihad.
Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers would take him back in a heartbeat if he proves surplus to requirements with the Premier League big boys – and has even told Roberts another two or three years at Parkhead could shape his career positively.
But Roberts, 20, has stopped short of committing his future to the six-in-a-row champs if it doesn’t work out at City, even as he gave his 18-month loan stint a perfect 10 for personal enjoyment and career fulfilment.
Roberts has become increasingly influential at Celtic this season with 42 appearances and six goals, as well as 12 assists, edging out Scotland winger James Forrest in recent weeks for a starting position.
The crowd pleaser, a £12million buy for City from Fulham two years ago, has proved he can cut it at the sharpest level, scoring against his parent club in their Champions League clash with the Hoops earlier this season.
Asked if he could return to Celtic before the start of the season Roberts said: “Who knows? In football you don’t know what could happen. “It could turn out good, it could turn out bad. As long as I give it a go. I’m still a City player so I’ll go back there for pre-season then we’ll see what happens from there.
“I signed for City two years ago with an aim of playing for them. I had no idea I was going to come here. This was a learning curve and an experience I had to take on fully as a young player.
“City is also a massive club and when I return there I must be confident and believe in my own ability and see where it takes me.
“If it’s not right there I will think about elsewhere. Of course Celtic is always here and I’m grateful for that. But I don’t know what will happen so I will live in the moment and enjoy the end of the season.
“As a mark I’d probably score my move here more than 10 – the highest you could give. It’s been a great season, unbelievable and enjoyable. We’ve been playing brilliant football.
“My game has come on this year, technically and tactically, and that’s important. The desire to win every single game is crucial, even if you go to places that are tough and the opposition sit in.
“It’s about finding a way to break them down and you must learn that from a young age. Winning every game is crucial and I have that winning mentality which I can take into any team I play in.
“The manager has been great with me, as well as the rest of the boys. He has brought me on a lot this season, on and off the pitch, so we’ll see what happens. It’s nice for me to know the Celtic fans have taken to me and everyone supports me 100 per cent. It’s all I could have asked for when I came up here and Celtic will always have a piece of my heart, no matter what happens.”
Rodgers is refusing to rule out a fresh move for Roberts in August. He acknowledges Roberts’s loan move has been good for both parties and Celtic have won a place in the player’s affections that could be pivotal if Guardiola decides he’s not for him.
Rodgers said: “Pat will have had a great 18 months education here. If you come to Celtic as a loan it’s a great option.
“Manchester City are one of the biggest clubs down south and you want to find out if he is capable of playing for them because the Premier League is a tough, tough environment.
“You see very few young players performing there so how are you going to know if they can cope?
“You send them to a huge club that can really test them, where there are big expectations and they can play in a team of dominance because that’s what these
My game has come on this year technically and tactically – and that’s important PATRICK ROBERTS
teams are too. They learn to deal with pressure, they get to play Champions League football and then they return a better player.
“He will have left a real imprint on his game here and got to experience an incredible feeling from a club where he has had some great nights.
“If there is a possibility he is coming back as a permanent player Celtic will have a good feeling for him.”
If he does leave Parkhead for good later this month then Roberts, shortlisted for the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year tomorrow night, at least returns down the M6 with some cherished memories, although one stands out.
He added: “The 5-1 win against Rangers last Saturday was a big moment. I’ve scored against City and in other games and we won the League Cup but Ibrox was special for all of us.
“We showed everyone our dominance and how we are capable of playing. We have a real desire to win– and win massively.
“This season has exceeded all expectations. Coming here I had the will to win as well as a desire but the way we’ve won it this season has been unbelievable.
“That’s all thanks to the manager and the entire squad. We’ve all been working hard and we’ve been getting the rewards.
“As long as we keep doing that we’ll get even more rewards so we’ll keep pushing for that.”