Christie determined to offer true reflection of his worth
RYAN CHRISTIE admits he has to hit the ground running in a make-or-break year for his Celtic career. The attacking midfielder returns to Parkhead after a successful season on loan at Aberdeen determined to show he can establish himself with the champions.
And he hopes to prove it by making a strong statement playing for Scotland against Peru and Mexico.
‘I haven’t spoken to the manager Brendan Rodgers since the end of the season,’ says the 21-year-old. ‘But he told me to enjoy this trip, come back from pre-season and then we’d take things from there.
‘I need to hit the ground running, I know that.
‘I always enjoy pre-season and I know how important this one is for me.
‘I need to have a good pre-season — but I have every confidence I can come in and be a success at Celtic.
‘I know I can fit into the manager’s plans and really kick-start my Celtic career, but I do need to hit the ground running.’ Asked what gives him greater
hope now than he had this time last year, he claims: ‘I am a different player than I was 18 months ago. For a start, I am involved at international level.
‘I have helped Aberdeen finish second again and I feel I am an all-round better player.
‘I have a hunger and desire to win games. At Aberdeen, we really pushed on, so I think these are important qualities I can take with me back to Celtic.’
It’s almost three years since Christie joined Ronny Deila’s Celtic in a £500,000 deal from Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
Players sent out on loan usually have little choice but to eventually take the hint.
With a return to Aberdeen already having been ruled out, however, Christie remains quietly determined to prove himself at Parkhead amidst reports the champions plan to hand him a contract extension.
Asked if the trip to South America marks the end of a strong chapter or the beginning of a new one, he said: ‘It’s a bit of both really. We obviously had a great season at Aberdeen, finishing second in the league once again.
‘Getting a Scotland call-up is perhaps a reflection and reward for that. But these games are also the start for me.
‘You don’t really get a close season any more and it’s important I do well in these games because I am obviously heading back to Celtic for pre-season.
‘I really want to kick on, I want to start pre-season on a high. I want to show that I am good enough to play there.’
Staking a claim with Scotland would do no harm in that respect and, after earning his debut against the Netherlands in November and replacing Parkhead team-mate James Forrest for the final 13 minutes in Hungary, the playmaker is content with his progress.
He said: ‘I’m pleased with how the season has gone. Towards the end of the season you tend to look back and at the start of the season if you’d have said I would have made my Scotland debut and be named in this squad, then I would have been absolutely delighted.
‘It’s important for me. And once you get into the international set-up it’s important you stay there.’
The transition to international player has been eased by the presence of former Aberdeen team-mates Kenny McLean, Scott McKenna and Graeme Shinnie in the squad.
Shinnie is poised to end a long wait for his first cap after stewing in silence on the bench against the
It’s up to me to kick on now and prove I am good enough to play for Celtic
Dutch. He added: ‘I felt sorry for Graeme because he was frustrated that night at Pittodrie. He didn’t get on but I did.
‘But you only need to look at the work he’s done since then.
‘The work he’s done to get himself back into the Scotland side.
‘I was delighted to get on at Pittodrie, it was amazing to play in that game against Holland and it was the highlight of my career so far.
‘I’ve had a taste of international football and of course you want more. These games are totally new to me, as they are to most of the boys. ‘Most of us haven’t been in this part of the world before. ‘Most haven’t come up against this sort of opposition. ‘We are facing two teams who are going to the World Cup, so we know it will be tough. ‘You want to test yourself against these teams. ‘We know the games will be challenging but we are more than confident we can get a couple of good results. These are the games you always want to be involved in.’