Jamie knows only too well
He used to be entranced watching Odsonne Edouard and Leigh Griffiths star at close quarters.
Now former Celts youngster, Jamie McCart, is eager to halt the free-scoring Hoops duo to pave the way to a Scottish Cup quarter-final upset.
The 22-year-old defender was lured to Perth in the winter transfer window from Inverness Caley Thistle and was flung into a second-half debut with Tommy Wright’s men trailing 3-0 and in line for another mauling last month.
Now McCart – son of Celtic youth development chief Chris – is hoping to rein in Neil Lennon’s frontline spearhead for 90 minutes at McDiarmid Park today.
“The aim when I made my debut was just not to concede any more. When you go 3-0 down to a team like Celtic a lot of teams fold, maybe chuck it a wee bit and lose five or six,” said McCart.
“So the good thing was that we showed a lot of character and kept it to three.
“The gaffer will be saying it is paramount that we don’t start like that again if we’re to have any chance.
“It’s definitely not easy playing against Griffiths and Edouard.
“They have been two of the best strikers in the league over the past few years and now they are playing together. They have been unbelievable.
“It makes it even worse for defenders. “They are two top-class footballers and good team players as well.
“From what I have seen from the outside they link-up well and work hard for the team.
“I didn’t see any reason why they wouldn’t gel and play well together.
“Their quality is showing through – and also how they can help each other.
“I was at Celtic when Griffiths came in. “He is a really good striker. He’s difficult to play against. Give him half a chance and he is likely to score.
“Even if it isn’t half a chance he can score given the quality he has.
“Leigh has come into his own this season. “And when a player comes in from PSG you always think they will be top quality. It was brilliant for Celtic to get Edouard as a permanent signing.
“That £9-million fee now looks an absolute bargain.
“He is real quality. You saw that in the game here in the first-half when I was on the bench. Some of his play is ridiculous.
“You could see his quality in training but you get that with a lot of players at Celtic.
“With the standards they set and the players that they can bring in you could probably name 10 or 11 players in that squad who are like that. It’s just the way itis.
“It is so impressive what he has done, especially after Moussa Dembele left. Those were big shoes to fill. He has more than filled them.”
McCart hasn’t been tempted to cut communications links with his dad in the build-up to today’s clash.
“I speak to my dad almost every day, we chat all the time. But we won’t be discussing Celtic.
“He will ask me how I am doing. But I try not to give too much away.
“He hasn’t missed one of my games in ages. He travels straight from youth games to see mine.
“My dad is always there for me, he’s without doubt the biggest influence on my career.”
McCart’s father has a Scottish Cup winners’ medal from Motherwell’s classic 1991 win over Dundee United.
“I have heard about his own Scottish Cup highlight a few times but not from him. He doesn’t speak about it much. He leaves that to other people,” said McCart jnr, who was thwarted at the semi-final stage last term by Hearts.
“I had a goal disallowed, unfairly. It was a wee chop, then a chip. I needed VAR.”
McCart has no regrets about leaving Parkhead to make a name for himself.
“For most boys at Celtic you get to a stage when you know you aren’t going to break through. It is the toughest of the tough.
“So the best thing for me was leaving and getting games. I was lucky enough to go to Inverness and play 50 or 60 games.
“When you are out on loan you get a taste for the first team. I wasn’t too bothered I was on loan initially.
“I was just eager to get out there and make a name for myself. Having sampled it on loan I wanted that environment week in, week out.
“I sat out three games against Celtic at Inverness in the Premier League. Maybe I was lucky because the aggregate was quite big!
“This will be my first start against them.”