THE FULL MONTY
Celtic rookie hoping to impress boss Ange in early weeks of season
As last season’s miseries at Celtic wound towards their end, adam Montgomery provided one glimmer of hope for the future.
the adaptable 18-year-old left-back made his first two senior appearances in the closing Premiership fixtures under interim manager John Kennedy.
a starting debut in a 4-0 win against st Johnstone was followed by a substitute appearance at easter road. In each, Montgomery acquitted himself well.
It was the same story on saturday as the youngster now looks to make an impact on a new era at the club following the arrival of ange Postecoglou.
Montgomery was the only player to be given all 90 minutes of the 2-1 friendly win over Charlton athletic as Celtic continued their pre-season training camp in south Wales.
a first-half shift as a left winger was followed by 45 minutes in his more regular role. With the Parkhead hierarchy still working to land preferred transfer targets, his versatility may yet prove useful in the early weeks of the new campaign.
Postecoglou’s competitive debut in the first leg of a Champions League qualifier against Midtjylland now lies just eight days away. and only Osaze Urhoghide has been signed so far this summer.
With the future make-up of the squad still unclear, Montgomery’s push to impress could be ever more pertinent.
‘Last season, one of my goals was to try and get a debut and break in before the end of the season,’ he admitted.
‘this season, I have to continue to work hard and see where I can take myself.
‘It was a good performance from the boys (against Charlton) and good to get more minutes in the legs.
‘I enjoyed playing a bit further forward on the left wing in the first half and then back to left-back for the second half. It was a good run out.
‘I enjoy both roles. I would say my preference now is probably left-back after playing a bit more. But I can do either or.
‘It shows you have versatility and can do a job anywhere the manager puts you. that will help him decide teams and so on.
‘I was a left winger growing up, so I have still got that in my game and can still play that position. With the way we are starting to play now, I think left-backs will be attacking much more so I can bring that from further back in the pitch.’
Montgomery may be a young player but he has no issue in making himself heard on the pitch to demand the ball from more senior colleagues.
‘You need to have confidence and want the ball off players to show what you can do,’ he told Celtic tV. ‘that’s why you are here.
‘Overall, the training has been excellent. We have been here for a week or so now and it has been really good, high intensity. I have really enjoyed it.’
another 18-year-old, Karamoko Dembele, was the sparkling performer in the first half against Charlton. some neat
play set up Albian Ajeti for an early opportunity, but the £5million striker couldn’t quite convert. Nir Bitton then supplied a fine through ball that encouraged Greg Taylor to get forward and deliver into the area. The cross evaded Ajeti but Dembele was there to finish. Dembele was also involved in the build-up to the second goal that saw Anthony Ralston hang up a cross. Ajeti climbed to meet it with a firm header beyond goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray, who was called up to Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad for the Euro 2020 qualifiers against Belgium and Russia in 2019. Ex-Hearts striker Conor Washington pulled a goal back for Charlton in the second period before Scott Bain — on for Vasilis Barkas at the break — denied him an equaliser with an excellent late save.