UNDER THE SKIN
Christie is central to Celts after crazy year
CARVED on Ryan Christie’s left arm is a tattoo. For the Celtic midfielder, the words have become a personal motto.
‘The tattoo says “Every man is the architect of his own fortune”,’ he reveals.
‘Is it something I live by? Yeah. It’s on there for life, so I’ll need to...’
Last January, Christie travelled to Dubai for a week of warmweather training with Aberdeen.
Derek McInnes was keen to make things permanent and, after 18 months on loan at Pittodrie, Brendan Rodgers admits he almost let him go in the summer.
The Betfred Cup is a much-maligned competition. Yet for Christie it proved the salvation of his Celtic career.
Christie came off the bench in the second half of Celtic’s semi-final with Hearts and hit a stunning strike that changed the game.
He did it again in the final, giving McInnes another reason to rue his inability to get him on a permanent contract by scoring the only goal of the game. Seven goals in 12 matches were topped off by a Scotland call-up and a new Celtic contract.
Christie, more than most, has reason to ponder the difference a year can make.
‘This time last year, I was up the road with Aberdeen,’ he added.
‘A lot has changed. When I was out there with them, I was concentrating on them and wasn’t really thinking about anything else.
‘But I’ve been delighted with how it’s panned out, signing a new contract to get that stable mindset to get better at Celtic.
‘I can’t complain. There had been a few ups and downs through the year, but I was delighted with the way it panned out in the end.
‘I managed to find a bit of form through November and December which I was pleased with.
‘It’s nice to be well thought of. When we went on that great run through November and December, it was a real team effort and the likes of James (Forrest) and everyone were at the top of their game.
‘That’s what we’re striving for again when we get back from Dubai because we all know, as we’re confident in our ability, that we can do that.’
Timothy Weah’s arrival prompted headlines centred on the career of his legendary father George.
Charlie Christie didn’t have quite the same impact as the Ballon d’Or winner.
Yet the Christie family are having a second crack at making an impact on the club after Charlie’s short-lived spell as a player in the 1980s.
‘It always helps when times are tough to have a really good set of people around you and I have,’ added 23-year-old Christie.
‘I’ve mentioned him a lot, but my dad is there. The guys at Celtic and the manager also used to tell me that my Celtic career was not over.
‘When I was going on loan to Aberdeen, he was telling me why and what I needed to work on, so I never really felt in my head my time was over and I slowly managed to work my way into the team.’
After all the ying came the inevitable yang. Christie’s injury against Red Bull Salzburg was less serious than it might have been.
Yet it was enough to interrupt a rich vein of seven goals in 12 games. Credited with adding pace and movement to the Celtic midfield, there was little or none of either in the defeat to Rangers which ended the first half of the season negatively.
‘The manager said after the game it was the first time we’d been beaten by Rangers in his reign and we need to learn from it. It needs to be a learning curve.’
One of the key lessons Christie learned at Ibrox was the need to protect sensitive parts of his body when Alfredo Morelos is in range. The Colombian escaped sanction — either at the time or retrospectively — for grabbing out at Christie’s private area despite referee John Beaton seeing it.
‘There was a lot made about it at the time with the refereeing and the SFA but, as a player, that game is over and I look forward,’ added Christie.
‘It was a frustrating day, but it’s given us a hunger and we’re looking forward now to putting it right when we come back.
‘As a player, there’s not much I can say on it. It’s for powers above to decide.
‘At the time, I was surprised (no yellow card) but, like I say, it’s up to the referee.
‘On the day or maybe a couple of days afterwards, it’s frustrating. You feel the anger towards the result, but now it has passed and we’re all focused on really moving forward.
‘We’ll try to do just that and it has given us the hunger to get back after the break and really kick things on.
‘We know how good we can be and the trip to Dubai helped the manager get tactical ideas across and we can really kick on.
‘Everyone has said it’s a more competitive league this season and that’s throughout it. Not just at the top of the table.
‘There isn’t an easy game and that’s good for Scottish football. It’s bringing an excitement back.
‘But for us? We are concentrated on ourselves.’