Cap calls killing my career at Parkhead
FORGOTTEN Celtic defender Cristian Gamboa reckons opting to play for Costa Rica has hampered his Celtic career.
The defender hasn’t featured for the Hoops for a single minute this season, despite making 21 appearances for Celtic last term.
Gamboa decided to play for his country at the Gold Cup in the summer instead of representing Celtic in the Champions League qualifiers.
And, after helping to clinch Costa Rica’s qualifying place at the World Cup in Russia next year after a draw against Honduras, the full-back admitted his career at Parkhead has stagnated.
He said: “I decided to represent my country at the Gold Cup tournament this summer.
“Unfortunately, I think this has had career consequences for me at Celtic. Not doing pre-season with Celtic has proved to be very expensive for me.
“There are decisions made by other people who pick the team and it is not in my hands.
“Apparently, playing at the Gold Cup was not taken in a good way at my club and I have had to wait to play again.”
And Gamboa may have even more explaining to do before the World Cup Finals...he has promised he will dye his hair red, white and blue, a notion that may not endear him to the Parkhead faithful.
Costa Rica star Christian Bolanos said: “Myself, Bryan Oviedo and Cristian Gamboa have made a bet and have agreed if we qualified we would dye our hair red, white and blue.
“A bet is a bet and we all agreed it has to be done.”
AS Darren Fletcher stands on the cusp of international retirement after Scotland’s latest campaign failure, he believes that Kieran Tierney can be the impetus for future success for the national team.
The former Manchester United midfielder has described Tierney as “a very special talent” and has echoed the sentiment that the 20-yearold is destined to feature at the very top level.
While Tierney has become a mainstay of Celtic’s Champions League campaigns, it is the player’s mental temperament that Fletcher believes has him earmarked for a top Premiership side – although not any time soon.
“He is a fantastic talent with a massive future,” said Fletcher. “I can’t speak highly enough of him either on or off the pitch. I think we are really witnessing the rise of a player who will be a very special talent.
“You are always aware that there can be an element of hype with young players and I always tend to be naturally wary of that but I think with KT it is justified.
“It is not just his natural ability – which is there for all to see – but his power and everything about him. There are plenty of people with potential.
“But what separates it at this level is those who have the mindset, the determination, the temperament and the character to go to the top level and Kieran ticks all those boxes. He has definitely got it.
“Even just his mentality tells you so much about him. The youngest player in the squad but he doesn’t flinch when he is asked to come and step out of his comfort zone and play on his wrong side.
“And this is international football. The level is high and yet he stepped up fantastically well to the challenge.
“What takes you to the next level is mentality and he has exactly the right mindset. He wants to learn, he is tenacious, nothing fazes him and he is very calm under pressures.
“He is also a very likeable, grounded lad and he certainly doesn’t seem to have been carried away by the way he has started his senior career which is always a good thing.”
TIERNEY has attracted attention from elsewhere already in his career and if his performance at Champions League level continue that interest will intensify.
Fletcher is well aware of what it takes to go and play at the top level of the English Premier League and he has maintained that Tierney is well served continuing where he is now with Celtic.
“He will make his own mind up and make his own decisions. But right now he is playing Champions League football and he is part of something really special under Brendan Rodgers at Celtic who is a fantastic manager.
“There is plenty of time for him to go onto another level. The last thing you would want for him is to go and be another number somewhere – I am not saying that would be the case because I believe he will play at the very, very top level – but what I do know is that he will know himself when the time is right.
“He is a big Celtic fan, he