Christie is hoping for a return to splendour
GONE but not forgotten is how Ryan Christie would view his loan period away from Celtic with Aberdeen. Playing regular football with a team just three points adrift of his parent employers is building a new sense of self-belief within the gifted midfielder.
His long-term aim remains a breakthrough at Parkhead. Some might question whether that will actually be possible, given that Brendan Rodgers has farmed him out for an 18-month spell in the north-east. Viewed from a distance, it could almost seem as though Christie had been shunted aside due to the glut of talent in Glasgow’s east end.
The player himself sees things very differently. Indeed, the counterargument to the naysayers could be found making his Scotland debut alongside Christie last Thursday.
Callum McGregor spent a season away from Celtic with Notts County four years ago, returning to stake a claim for first-team action. A breakthrough under Ronny Deila’s management, he has subsequently flourished with Rodgers’ guidance.
The 24-year-old started the recent Champions League meeting with Bayern Munich ahead of both Tom Rogic and Oliver Ntcham. Long-awaited international recognition swiftly followed afterwards. Two years younger than McGregor, Christie looks towards his new Scotland colleague as something of a role model.
‘Callum is a good example,’ insisted Christie. ‘Playing alongside him during the Scotland gathering, you can see he is an exceptional player.
‘He is so gifted on the ball and you look at the way he has come through at Celtic. He had to go away to England to get games and progress.
‘It shows that, when you do go out on loan, it doesn’t mean that you are on the road out of that club.
‘You can see how Callum has kicked on. He looks like one of the top 10 players at Celtic right now and that’s great for him. It’s also good for me to look at him, look at his road and try to replicate it.’
Christie speaks in glowing terms about the benefits of his time working with Derek McInnes at Aberdeen. Playing for a team where winning has become the expectation — at least when the opponents don’t come from Parkhead — has forced him to grow up on the pitch. Christie now feels a responsibility to try and take control of matches. Even so, he is the first to admit he remains a work-in-progress. The former Inverness player recognises the attributes he still has to add if his performances are to be elevated to the next level.
‘Everyone talks about when you go out on loan and getting game time, but it has really helped me to be playing every week,’ added Christie.
‘I’m really loving my football in Aberdeen, with the way we are playing. It is showing.
‘My performances at the beginning of the season were a bit up and down and my consistency is something that I need to work on. I need to make sure I’m churning out good performances on a weekly basis. If I can get consistent at the top of my game, I’ll be happy.
‘I’ve felt this season, and the end of last season, I can make myself a key player in teams instead of going back to being a shirt-filler.
‘I’m feeling confident that I can be the one people look at to influence or change a game. It’s nice to have that confidence and I’m lucky I have it at Aberdeen. Playing week in and week out helps my belief instead of sitting there on the sidelines and thinking that I’m not good enough.
‘There are demands at Aberdeen. It’s one of the main reasons why I chose to go on loan.
‘I’m not saying it is as big as Celtic, but there is still that pressure and expectation to win games week in and week out.
‘It was key that I had that pressure placed on to me every game. That experience helps me and shows that I can deal with it.’
That process of maturing as a player can only be aided by exposure to international football. Operating off the left, Christie certainly didn’t look overawed as he sought to get at Holland’s defence whenever possible. There was enough energy to make him a positive for interim manager Malky Mackay in the 1-0 defeat.
Aberdeen’s progress this season was further recognised that night by a second cap for Kenny McLean, while Pittodrie captain Graeme Shinnie was an unused substitute. ‘Playing for Scotland helps confidence, it shows that I might be able to go back to Celtic and prove a point,’ argued Christie. ‘It was a brilliant experience. The guys making their debuts showed we can make the step up. I hope we didn’t look out of place.
‘It felt good to be involved. I felt like I could affect the game, which was good.
‘Playing for Scotland, I now have to make sure I kick on and return to club level and keep my performances as high as I can.’