Celtic’s super stand-in has a perfect day
With star man Leigh Griffiths out, Moussa Dembele steps up and then some, writes Graeme Macpherson
MOUSSA Dembele is undoubtedly an upgrade on what went before. Where last year the only real back-ups to Leigh Griffiths were Carlton Cole and Colin Kazim-Richards, now there is a centre forward of real pedigree. A hat-trick in yesterday’s 5-1 win over Rangers suggests he may not be Griffiths’ standin for much longer. He will get another chance to showcase his burgeoning talent in the Nou Camp on Tuesday night, albeit in rather different circumstances.
He scored the perfect hat-trick here in two senses. Firstly because he did so with a header, then his right foot and then his left. And secondly because it was the first of his senior career, all contributing to an afternoon that he will surely cherish for the rest of his days.
“It was the perfect day, to beat Rangers at home, to get the points and to get my first hat-trick,” said the Frenchman. “It was something unbelievable and I will remember it all my life. It was something special to play in an Old Firm game and I am really happy the way it worked out.
“This is my first hat-trick. There haven’t been many in this game and for me to get one for the first time, it’s like a dream. To start your first Old Firm game and score a hat-trick is something huge.
“I want to show the manager when he needs me I am here. I think I showed what I am about and it is good for the team. It shows everybody we are a good group and when somebody is not here then others are ready to come in and help the team. Leigh and me are two good strikers and the manager has to make his mind up. If the manager picks me, I will be happy and if he picks me from the bench, I will be the same.”
He seemed enthused rather than daunted at the notion of now going to take on Barcelona on their own patch, where chances to score will, presumably, be thinner on the ground. “If I start then I will be ready like every game. As a player you have to be ready for every challenge and that is what I do. We are capable of going to Barcelona and getting a result.
“We are going there to give everything to come away with something. When you start any game of football, even if it is against the best team in the world, you have to show that you belong and give everything to get a result.”
Dembele was highly sought after in the summer but chose to put furthering his playing career ahead of more lucrative offers elsewhere. “I came here to establish myself as a player. I am still young and still have a lot to learn. To be next to players like these and under a manager like Brendan Rodgers, you obviously learn a lot and progress. That’s why I’m here.
“I could have gone to other clubs but for me, I wasn’t thinking about money. I was thinking about football first and getting as much experience as I can at a young age. Here I can play in the Champions League and for a 20-year-old that is something huge. It just gives me more and more experience and to be working with a manager like this can move forward my career and make me progress very quickly. Playing in big occasions like this makes it all worthwhile.”
Dembele’s performance had the effect of sparking a post-mortem in the visitors’ dressing room. Captain Lee Wallace insisted it was a civil discussion but with it came an acknowledgement of Rangers’ many failings.
“I think we made it tougher for ourselves than expected. There is hurt in the dressing room. We have been sitting in there speaking about what we need to do better. We are all feeling that disappointment. We always have the debriefs, good, bad or indifferent. On this occasion we dissected a bad defeat. But it was never heated and always done in the right way.
“It’s a difficult one because we’re all hurting. It’s going to be a tough one to take. What we need to do now is realise we’re only five games into the season. I said to the boys that the worst thing we can do is go away and feel sorry for ourselves. We have to stay together.
“There’s no way this can affect the preparations for the next game. It’s done now. We’ll look back on how we need to improve – quickly. But while there’s heartache in that dressing room among players and staff, we’re going to have to quickly put it right.”