I AIM TO BE THE BEST IN WORLD
Edouard is a man of few words but his hopes for the future are loud and clear
WHERE Neil Lennon is concerned, Odsonne Edouard is the player every manager dreams of. A model of silent, brooding professionalism who keeps his opinions under wraps and reserves all his noise for the 18-yard box.
‘He’s very quiet,’ said the Celtic boss, ‘Odsonne doesn’t talk very much. He is a man of few words, but plenty of action. He doesn’t speak back.
‘You don’t need to over-criticise him or give him a hard time. If you give him a bit of love, he accepts that.
‘He appreciates a bit of friendliness and a bit of respect. He pays it back in spades with the way he’s playing. He is in brilliant form at the minute.’
In recent weeks, a little love has gone a long way. Seven goals in his last six games earned the Frenchman the Ladbrokes player-of-the-month award for January.
The downside to all this love was a rare appearance before the nation’s media yesterday. Some Celtic fans now place Edouard on par with Henrik Larsson — high praise indeed — and, like the King of Kings, the young Prince would rather do his talking on the field.
‘That’s very flattering,’ he admitted, ‘but I try not to listen too much to that so that I can focus on the team and helping them to win titles.
‘Henrik Larsson is a Celtic legend — when I was little he was one of the best players in Europe so it’s amazing that some people compare me to him.’
Speaking through a translator, his responses are clipped and guarded, giving nothing away. Only once does he cut loose with a big, bold statement.
‘I would like to become the best striker in the world,’ he said. ‘That’s it. One of the best strikers, anyway. I don’t know when that will happen.
‘I live day to day and I enjoy my life. We will see in time,’ he added with a shrug, ‘we will see.’
The subject of his future is never far from the surface. By common consent, he won’t be in Glasgow forever. Moussa Dembele’s departure for Lyon signalled how the Edouard adventure will most likely end.
The question of when and for how much is another matter.
Dembele cost £20million, Kieran Tierney cost Arsenal £25m and the expectation is that Edouard — with 24 goals in 37 appearances and an impressive record for the France Under-21s team — will go for more than both.
‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘Today, I am at Celtic. I have two years left on my contract. I am very happy here and I enjoy myself.
‘For now, it’s still two years on my contract and I am more focused on the five months that we have left for the rest of this season and the two titles we are competing for. And then we will see what happens after.’
Asked to cite his favourite strikers and influential figures he picks out Ronaldo — the original Brazilian version — and admits to admiring the work of his new Celtic strike partner Leigh Griffiths.
Pitched together as a duo they make for an odd couple; very different characters both mentally and in personality. Yet, so far, they have complemented each other well.
‘I enjoy it very much,’ said Edouard. ‘We’ve seen our performances, so I think I can say that it has worked; Leigh is a great finisher and we’ve always had good communication, right from the moment we started playing together. I hope that continues.
‘I learn from everyone here every day but Leigh has qualities
I don’t possess, so I can certainly learn from him. There is not one person who has been a bigger influence on me than anyone else but every coach I’ve had has been important for me. I’m someone who is willing to listen and learn a lot — that’s how I behave. ‘I am still young, so I am training a lot and every year I become more mature as a player. I work hard on all aspects of my game, so everything is improving.’ The decision to speak via an interpreter should fool no one. He looks every questioner straight in the eye and offers the impression that he could answer in English if he so chose. He shows clear signs of developing an understanding with team-mates where it matters most. ‘He is no mug,’ said Lennon. ‘He is intelligent. There is a quiet confidence about him. ‘He has got that aura about him as well sometimes which he carries. I don’t want to build him up too much. His football is doing that for him. But we are all really enjoying working with him and watching him play.
‘We have gone with two on a few occasions now and his link-up play with Griff has been very good. I think he enjoyed that side of the game as well. He is just enjoying that side of his football.
‘He seems very happy. He has not come to me with any complaints since I have been here really.’
For various reasons, the same can’t always be said of his strike partner Griffiths.
Yet the cultural mores which differentiate the two melt away on a football pitch and, for Celtic’s manager, it’s a pleasure to watch.
‘It takes all types, I suppose. What I do know is they are two very good centre-forwards,’ added Lennon.
‘I think it is better that they get on with each other and I think they do. They’re from different backgrounds and they’re different personalities, but they’re two very good strikers.’