Old pals’ act will go back into cold storage until time-up at Hampden
An image from the conclusion of last Sunday’s startling 3-3 draw between Aberdeen and Celtic sticks in the memory.
As referee Willie Collum blew for full-time, Dons’ winger Jonny Hayes – celebrating like a man who had just got out of jail – flung his arms around Celtic’s Jeremie Frimpong in a bear hug.
If the recipient did not quite manage to match his opponent’s enthusiasm for the embrace, he took it in good humour.
That should not, perhaps, be too much of a surprise.
After all, Hayes played alongside the Dutchman in the Hoops’ run to today’s Scottish Cup semi-final, the second half of the double header between the teams.
Had it not been for the Covid-19 shutdown in spring, he would have been short odds to end the 2019-20 campaign with a winners’ medal with Celtic.
As it is, he will be going all out to torpedo his former teammates’ attempts to complete an interrupted treble, which would be their fourth in succession.
“Obviously it’s good to see Jonny again, but when it comes to match day, he is just another opponent,” said Frimpong.
“We have to treat it that way and go for it.
“We had a good battle on Sunday, and I expect that again. No player is going to make it easy for me to go past them. They all put up a fight, so it will be tough again.
“It’s a bit strange to be facing somebody who helped us get to the semi-final, but it’s important we finish off what we started last season.
“We like winning. We like winning trophies as a team. Of course it’s important.”
Just as the semi-final will offer Celtic the opportunity to make up for dropping a couple of points up at Pittodrie, it will also be a chance for Frimpong to atone for messing up in the Betfred Cup Final on his last visit to Hampden Park.
Playing in his first game against Rangers, the teenager was sent off for holding back Alfredo Morelos.
Afterwards, he admitted he sat in the dressing-room panicking that he had cost the Hoops a trophy.
“I managed to get my hands on the trophy so the ending was good, but at that moment it was bad,” he said.
“This time I want to stay on the pitch, yes.
“Every time I’ve been to Hampden, I’ve won. So I have good memories there.”
An additional motivation will be the chance to help manager Neil Lennon get through what has been one of the most testing times of his time in charge of Celtic.
“I do feel I owe him,” said Frimpong.
“He is the one who gave me a chance, put trust in me, and gave me an opportunity in first-team football.
“Having that trust when you are a young guy is everything, really.
“He tells me to just go and play, and he helps me too. He has been a big part of my career so far.”
Lennon has been bullish in the defence of his own managerial record in the face of media and supporter criticism, and Frimpong argued it was important to keep the recent disappointments in perspective.
“It is part of football. You are not going to win all the time,” he said.
“There are wins and losses. We are just going through that phase right now, but we will bounce back.
“We need to get our confidence up, and we have to start winning again – and do it now.
“This is a semi-final we are talking about, so it is time to show up.”