THIRD TIME PLUCKY
Croat insists return to good times is just around corner
JOZO SIMUNOVIC spent long enough lying back and staring at the ceiling in the Lennoxtown treatment room.
When he finally got off the table it was the Parkhead exit door that was in his sights.
Now his focus is on walking out in front of the green and white wall of the Celtic Park stands on a Champions League night.
The Croatian defender has had a rough year. A promising start for the Hoops was sunk after his knee buckled and numerous setbacks had plenty of punters wondering if they’d been sold a pup following his £4million move from Dinamo Zagreb.
Even when he was said to be back in training, a jet whisked him off to Italy for talks with Torino.
The move broke down with conflicting tales of failed medicals or broken terms but the upshot was he was back at Celtic and facing a job to rebuild his career.
But Simunovic has always maintained his commitment to the club. There might have been a temptation for the Hoops to offload but he has constantly insisted his loyalties lie in Glasgow.
And he’s determined to achieve his Champions League dream.
He missed out when Zagreb qualified a few weeks after he left and then was forced to sit out as Celts blazed their way in to the group stages.
It’s so close now he is determined to grab the opportunity against Borussia Monchengladbach on Wednesday night after cruising through the league win against Motherwell at the weekend.
Simunovic said: “Torino is finished. That story is over for me. I am only focused on Celtic.
“It’s been a tough year for me. It was a tough period in my career but I used the time carefully.
“I focused on my fitness and my head. Now I am ready.
“It would mean a lot to play in the Champions League for this club because I didn’t get the chance to do that last season.
“I also never had the chance to play in this tournament with Dinamo Zagreb.
“But now Celtic are in the Champions League and it would mean a lot, especially with the teams we have in this group. I can’t wait for Wednesday.
“I don’t know whether I will play or not but it’s about the team.
“No matter who the boss picks, I know they will give their all.”
Whether Simunovic starts is up for debate. He has certainly put himself in the frame but nothing is guaranteed when Kolo Toure is waiting in the wings.
The Arsenal and Manchester City legend was a colossus against Pep Guardiola’s men in the 3-3 epic at Parkhead in the last group game and is expected to return.
But with Monchengladbach operating a 3-4-3 formation, boss Brendan Rodgers might be tempted to match the Germans man for man.
Either way, Simunovic is raring to go.
He said: “I’m ready to play against Borussia, of course I am.
“It has been fantastic working under the manager. We are getting on very well but everybody is enjoying it.
“I am fit and ready to play. The most important thing is that we are all ready and that we are going to give 100 per cent.”
Getting Motherwell out of the way with the minimum of fuss was a good start after coming back from the international break.
Scott Sinclair and Moussa Dembele picked up where they left off and the Parkhead men won with room to spare and no further casualties.
Nir Bitton and Mikael Lustig will be assessed today but Tom Rogic was given a few days off after dragging himself back from Australia.
Simunovic reckons the Hoops are in good shape. He was thrilled with the attacking power shown again but it was the clean sheet that gets the juices flowing for big defenders.
The Croatian Under-21 star said: “It was a good performance against Motherwell. We did everything that we said we would before the game.
“That was the most important thing and we got the two goals. It was a good win and now we focus on Borussia on Wednesday.
“That is an important game for us and our Champions League hopes. We know it will be a harder match but we are totally ready and we can’t wait for this game.
“The clean sheet was good. Every time you don’t concede a goal is good, especially for the defenders.
“We just continue the way we have been playing and we look forward now.”
Simunovic reckons Celtic are flying ahead of Monchengladbach and they fancy their chances of getting a first win of the campaign on the board.
The centre-back said: “We are very positive about Wednesday night.
“We pressed high against Man City and we will try to do that again.
“We need to believe in how we play. I am very confident about the game against Borussia.
“I don’t know much about Borussia, I have never played against them, but it’s about us.
“We don’t need to focus on the other team, we need to focus on our own game.
“We have good attacking players and that gives us confidence.”
Torino is finished. That story is over for me. I am only focused on Celtic SIMUNOVIC MICHAEL GANNON