Frimpong eager to keep trophies rolling in

SIGNING players who are unable to make the breakthrough at another club normally comes with a fair degree of suspicion.

Sensing the goods must somehow be flawed, supporters scrutinise them from top to bottom expecting their worst fears to be confirmed. An untried 18-year-old when he joined Celtic from Manchester City last summer, Jeremie Frimpong felt 60,000 eyes trained on his every move.

One year on, they are still looking for the catch. Cradling the club’s young-player-ofthe-year award yesterday (right) to go with the league and League Cup winner’s medals he’d already accrued, the young Dutchman reflected on the moment he realised that Celtic’s calling was not something he could turn down.

‘It was the best decision of my career so far — 100 per cent,’ he stated. ‘When

Celtic first came in for me, I just thought: “This is an amazing club”. ‘It was a chance of first-team football and I wanted to give it everything. I knew I was ready for first-team football — but I had to go and prove it.

‘When the manager gave me the chance, it was such a big moment in my career. But when you play for Celtic with the team-mates I have, what can go wrong?’ In Neil Lennon, Frimpong has the missing piece in the jigsaw. A manager who was prepared to nourish his talent with opportunity. Given the untold riches at City’s disposal, he appreciates it’s something that might never have come his way had he stayed put. ‘When a manager believes in you, it’s amazing,’ he added.

‘You play with confidence and show no fear. He encourages me and tells me to play to my strengths. I am happy he has taken a liking to me but I know I need to keep my performance level high.’

The learning curve has been dauntingly steep but Frimpong has taken it in his stride. ‘I have taken in a lot,’ he added. ‘I was playing Under-23s at City and this was just a whole new level. Your team-mates place demands on you and that just motivates you even more.’

The prospect of hearing many more of those made on him again later this week is thrilling. Frimpong had not long recovered from a badly bruised foot sustained at Kilmarnock when all football was suspended. Returning to training on Thursday, albeit in a tightly-controlled environment, will not come a moment too soon. ‘I can’t wait to get back,’ he added.

‘All I’ve been doing back home is running all the time. We couldn’t play. I felt like I was missing something from my life. ‘To think I could even just be kicking the ball with another team-mate is a great feeling.

‘I had so many highlights this season but winning the league is the best. ‘It’s unreal to do that in my first year at Celtic and hopefully there are many more to come. ‘I just want to win as many trophies as possible. I play football to do that.’