JONNY’S A BIG-GAME HUNTER
Hayes’s wee boy was on safari as his dad shone at Hampden but he’ll be on the prowl for a final ticket
JONNY HAYES is relishing being back on the prowl at Parkhead and revealed his young son has gone from the safari to big-game hunter.
The Celtic winger’s four-yearold Jackson missed the Hampden roar in Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final win as he was out watching wildlife instead.
But with his dad being let loose by Neil Lennon, Hayes admitted his kid is already going wild at the prospect of seeing his old man winning silverware in next month’s final against Hearts.
The former Aberdeen and Inverness star spent months out after a broken leg but has battled back to fitness. Hayes produced a star turn against his old club and revealed his big pre-match team pep talk didn’t come from his manager.
He said: “My wife sent me a video message just before the game and it was the little fella saying, ‘Make sure you win, I want to go to the Final’. She had taken him to the safari park for the day.
“That was probably the biggest pressure I’ve had in a game, thinking about him! I walked in the door on Sunday evening and he was sitting there in his Celtic kit ready to go five weeks early. He’s four and Celtic daft. He’ll definitely be there, he’s guaranteed a ticket.”
Hayes is so happy to be back on the pitch after his lengthy spell in the stands and the 30-year-old is making the most of his chance.
He said: “Football, first and foremost, is about enjoyment.
“We’re in a results- driven business and are under pressure to win every week but it’s always more enjoyable when you’re in the team. It’s a sign the manager has a bit of trust in me and that gives me confidence.
“I don’t think you’ll see a stronger bench in Scotland than ours and that’ll be the case for the foreseeable future due to the quality we have.
“The previous manager built a 30-strong squad so any one of us can step in and play when required. You can see how strong the togetherness is when we win trophies. Everyone celebrates together and no one is left out.
“It’s never been about the 11 or the 14 who get on the pitch.
“I’ve been back there for the last couple of games but I can’t remember the last time I played as a left winger before that.
“I’m just happy to be involved
at all, especially after coming back from injury. Any chance to play anywhere is good. When you’re picked to play in big games it gives you the belief that you’re doing something right. “One of the things I have to give our manager credit for is he’s given us a little more freedom. You still need to go out and produce of course, you can’t keep losing the ball, but he encourages you to make things happen. “But you better make it work sooner rather than later!” It’s been working for Hayes and for Celtic of late as they hunt a historic treble Treble. Hayes is not expecting a procession to the title as he is getting used to being targeted
by riled-up rivals. The Dons had two men sent off on Sunday and it was the same story in the win against Rangers two weeks earlier. But Hayes said: “We know in that dressing room we’ll never shirk a fight. We’ve got plenty of big boys anyway, if need be.
“But we know there’s a fine line. You have to show aggression in your game but you’ve also got to be careful or else you’re running the risk of a yellow or a red.
“I’ve been on the other side, playing against Celtic and not touching the ball for a few minutes. It’s frustrating.
“Sometimes it’s emotional and players can lose their head. But we don’t let it affect us.”
Hayes won’t let results elsewhere affect Celtic this weekend either. Any slip-up from Rangers will set up the chance to win the league against Hibs at Easter Road on Sunday. But Hayes said: “I know but regardless of how other teams get on we’ve just got to worry about ourselves.
“It’ll be a battle at Easter Road but as far as we’re concerned nothing changes for us and it doesn’t matter what happens on Saturday because we’ll want to win the match anyway.”
Hayes is not looking beyond Hibs – even if his own future is unclear, with his contract counting down until the summer. He said: “I’ve never been one to think about whether I’ve got six months to go or six years. You can move in the next transfer window so it’s as simple as that.
“I’m happy in Glasgow, my wife and kids are happy in Glasgow. So I’ll be here as long as they want me here.”