Ryan: Hurt will drive us back
RYAN CHRISTIE last night insisted hurting Celtic are already driven to win their Premiership title straight back.
The former champions were
deposed for the first time in a decade as a goalless draw with Dundee United at Tannadice confirmed Rangers as champions.
Christie described the painful concession as just a blip for the Hoops, who have John Kennedy in the dugout after Neil Lennon’s exit 12 days ago.
And the playmaker made it clear the squad have already turned their sights to regaining the position of power.
Christie said: “Every player, not just me, at the club is hurting and wants to put things right.
“Everybody has that champion’s mentality.
“That’s how we got to the position we have over the last four or five years.
“Everyone is desperate to have that feeling back again, so everyone has that hunger again. We want to put things right.
“John Kennedy touched on that and is trying to get that mindset back. That’s what champions do.
“It’s obviously not how we wanted the season to go. We started the season looking to defend our title and we’re all gutted.
“But we can only look forward now. It’s just a blip and we want to come back even stronger and go again.
“When you face a blip, you face a blip. You bounce back from it and try to get back on top again.
“That’s the mentality we need. Everyone is ready to bounce back.”
Christie is determined that Celtic make a point straight away with Rangers up next on Sunday week.
He said: “Absolutely. There is never a Glasgow derby when you don’t have a point to prove.
“We will be up for it because we are desperate to get a result against them this season.
“That’s what we will be looking to do and that can spur us on until the end of the season.”
Celtic are a whopping 20 points behind the champs with six games to go after a shocking campaign led to Lennon’s departure.
But Christie said: “I probably wouldn’t say it’s a fair reflection, although I’m a bit biased.
“It probably just comes to the number of games where we have dominated and maybe not scored.
“And then we concede cheap goals at the other end and it comes down to fine margins.”
It is 11 years since Celtic last went through a season without a trophy.
And with the Scottish Cup set to restart, Christie said it’s important his team secure that silverware again after winning the delayed 2019-20 tourney three months ago.
He added: “It’s our trophy to defend and all the boys are desperate to do that.
“The boys were buzzing when they saw the news it’s going to be played out this season. It’s a great opportunity for us to end the season on a high.”
And Christie insisted he continues to give everything for the club.
The Scotland star is moving into the final year of his contract this summer and there will be interest in his services.
But the 26-year-old said: “For me personally, I’m not trying to be selfish.
“I’m just trying to go into every game and give my all. I’m trying to end the season as well as I can.
“I’ll just try to keep my own performances as high as they can be. That’s my target between now and the end of the season.”
Christie was among those unable to beat Benji Siegrist at Tannadice and said: “It was a frustrating day. You come away wondering how you’ve not got on the scoresheet.
“It wasn’t down to a bad performance.”