Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
BITTON DRIVES HARD BARGAIN
After fearing he could end up at the wheel of a taxi, Israeli ace Nir is delighted to get his Celtic future settled for three more years
NIR BITTON was so worried about his future at Celtic he didn’t just fear Parkhead chiefs were going to order him a taxi.
He thought he might end up driving one.
The Israeli international last night penned a new Hoops deal until the summer of 2023 and he admitted it’s an entirely different road he thought he was going down a couple of years ago.
Bitton has battled back from a year out with a career threatening cruciate injury and there were times he was even considering an entirely new job away from football.
The injury hell just makes securing his long-term future even more sweeter and he’s determined to keep rolling down trophy road.
Bitton said: “When I look back to 14 months ago I was in a different situation. It was a dark time and I thought I might need to finish playing football, which was difficult for me. But now I’m playing and winning trophies again and I’m happy.
“What would I have done? F*** knows! I don’t know – I could be a taxi driver maybe. I’d find something but its always difficult if you ask any athlete what they would do if their career was over in their 20s. It will be difficult for me when I am 35 never mind at 28. As soon as Celtic said they wanted me to stay it was a no-brainer for me.
“I’m playing for an amazing, unbelievable club so when I’m offered the chance to stay here for a while longer then I’m going to take it.
“I’m still a baby – only 28 – and it’s good for me and my family to have that security and for Celtic to show their faith in me. I don’t take anything for granted after what I’ve been through with injuries.
“That makes it mean even more to me.”
It’s hard to imagine Bitton having to deal with dark thought given he’s so laid back.
The relaxed attitude on the pitch can drive Parkhead punters nuts at times but it’s also those chilled out qualities that Neil Lennon (left) loves. There are few who can be thrown in to a defence for the first time like Bitton was during the Champions League qualifiers under Brendan Rodgers a few years ago and managed to keep their cool to get Celtic through. The big fellow proved people wrong during that campaign and he admitted he does get wound up by the critics – and he has the drive to prove them wrong.
Bitton joked: “If Celtic want to qualify for the Champions League I need to play centre back!
“Seriously, it’s about Celtic and the team, I’m happy to do any job. You don’t choose where to play at a club like this.
“If the manager wants you to play centre mid, you do so.
“If he wants you at the back, you play at the back.”