I’ll never have to buy a pint back home again!
Irishman Idah on the refreshing perks of becoming an unlikely hero at Celtic
WHEN Adam Idah joined Celtic on loan in January, it’s fair to say the general reaction among supporters was to offer a collective shrug of the shoulders.
With fans imploring the club to loosen the purse strings and make a big-money blockbuster signing, taking a raw and unproven striker on loan from Norwich City probably wasn’t what they had in mind.
It almost felt like Idah had been written off before he had kicked a ball for his new club. But, credit where it’s due, he has won over a lot of the doubters.
Having scored seven goals in 12 games, one of which came in the recent 3-3 draw against Rangers at Ibrox, Idah has gone from zero to hero in the eyes of many supporters.
His latest effort, a header to help seal the three points in a 3-0 win over St Mirren on Saturday, came on a weekend which saw Celtic seize the advantage in the title race.
While he continues to endear himself to supporters in Glasgow, it was only when Idah returned to Ireland during last month’s international break that the sheer magnitude of what he had walked into became clear.
Playing for the Republic of Ireland in their games against Belgium and Switzerland, it was the first time Idah had been back home to Cork since joining Celtic. It proved to be a hero’s welcome.
‘I managed to pop in to a couple of pubs back home in Cork,’ explained the 23-year-old. ‘I didn’t expect all that, to be honest. I was shocked when I walked in.
‘It was great seeing everyone. They sent me some footage of the place from the other weekend watching the Rangers game and the place looked amazing.
‘It’s not far from where I grew up. My mate took me down and we met some fans and the owners. It was top class.
‘I don’t think I would have got that reception if I wasn’t at Celtic. They’d think I was just another local lad. Coming here, you are treated like a hero wherever you go. It’s fantastic.
‘You can be driving through the city and people are cheering you on. It’s great for us players to have that fan base behind us. It really motivates you to fight for them.’
Latching on to a pinpoint pass from Paulo Bernardo, Idah thumped the ball low past Jack Butland for the goal which looked like it had claimed victory for Celtic at Ibrox last weekend.
In the end, it wasn’t to be, as Rabbi Matondo’s late leveller denied him what would have been a famous winner.
But it was only in the aftermath, and having being sent footage of the goal from around the world, that Idah began to appreciate it all.
He hopes moments like that can help him repay the faith of supporters over these final few weeks of the season.
‘The reaction was strange,’ he said after scoring in front of an Ibrox stadium packed with Rangers fans but minus any Celtic supporters at all. ‘I’ve never had a feeling like it. When I saw the ball hitting the back of the net, I didn’t know what to do.
‘That’s the first time I’ve ever frozen after scoring. The game was so big, you don’t have time to think. It was such a strange feeling. The silence was a bit like being back in the Covid times.
‘It was still a great feeling, though. That is what I came up here for, 100 per cent. When you come in, you want to do well in every game, and, if you do that, you know the fans will show their appreciation.
‘I knew there would be pressure coming here, I knew there was a big demand. But I wanted to take that on. I just hope the fans think I am repaying their faith and I can kick on until the end of the season.
‘I knew the club was huge when I came up. I know everyone says it, but you don’t actually realise how big it is until you are here.
‘For example, I got sent a video of the goal (against Rangers) from a pub in Australia. It was mobbed and it was going crazy.
‘You realise people are watching this all over the world. It’s amazing how big this club is. ‘It has taken me a bit by surprise. I was saying to my mum recently, I didn’t actually realise just how many Celtic tops I was seeing when I was back home.
‘They have always been there but maybe I just wasn’t noticing as much. It’s still a bit of a shock to me. ‘It’s been weird. There are so many fans back home that will come up to me. Even lads I used to kick a ball with when I was young and are still friends are asking me for photos. ‘I’m thinking: “What is going on?!” It’s crazy. My life has gone a bit strange. I don’t know if I’ll need to buy a pint again — I hope not!’ After Rangers crashed to defeat against Ross County on Sunday, Celtic are now in pole position to go on and win the title. Even if Rangers beat Dundee in their rearranged game tomorrow night, Celtic could go into the final Old Firm game of the season knowing that a point would be enough to stay ahead of their rivals at the top of the league. Idah (left) insists the pressure of the title race is not something to be feared. ‘Every game in this period is huge,’ he added. ‘Everyone is feeling confident around the games and in training and we are all looking forward to it. We are excited for it — these are the moments you play football for.’