Gary glad he stuck around to grow under Rodgers

Mackay-Steven seizes his chance after injury misery

GARY MACKAY-STEVEN had a decision to make in January. A loan spell at former club Dundee United was on the table and promised to maximise his playing opportunities in a season that was threatening to pass him by.

Had Brendan Rodgers not thrown the winger a surprise recall a month earlier, he might well have gone. But his second-half outing in the Champions League match at Manchester City had provided a rich taste of why it might be worth hanging around.

So, while the likes of Ryan Christie, Nadir Ciftci, Kris Commons and Efe Ambrose headed out of Parkhead in search of game-time during the mid-season window, Mackay-Steven decided to stick it out.

‘I wanted to be here and the manager wanted me here, too,’ he insisted. ‘I was injured at the start of the season. I had an operation on my ankle and I didn’t make my first appearance until December, so I hadn’t had a lot of time to get up to speed.

‘This season has brought a lot of big games and great moments and I wanted to be part of that going forward.’

If the sight of Mackay-Steven trotting on in place of James Forrest at the Etihad after such a long time in storage was something of a surprise, the winger nearly completed a fairy-tale comeback when he lined up a shot which flew straight at City keeper Willy Caballero.

‘I probably should have scored,’ said the 26-year-old. ‘It was a good chance but I didn’t dwell on that for too long. You get a little taste for the Champions League. Those are the biggest games and this club deserves to be on that stage.

‘It was just nice to make my first appearance of the season in such a big game. That shows the manager has a lot of trust in me.’

Mackay-Steven’s appearance at the Etihad came after eight long months without a game. His previous showing in a Celtic shirt had come on the most miserable of occasions, the club’s William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Rangers last April.

With Ronny Deila gone and Rodgers ushering in a bold new era at Celtic, it had been assumed that Mackay-Steven (below) would quietly be ushered from the stage. His first club Ross County were hopeful of concluding their own loan deal last August but that ankle injury put paid to a Highland return and may also have perversely helped salvage his Celtic career. Rodgers has shown a knack for rehabilitating players who had taken on the look of lost causes under the previous regime, with Dedryck Boyata and Mackay-Steven’s old Tannadice team-mate Stuart Armstrong perhaps the two most striking examples.

‘I’ve improved under the manager,’ said Mackay-Steven. ‘I think the whole squad would say the same. In the short space of time he has been here he has improved us technically and tactically — and it’s great to be part of that.

‘Every day you learn something new. He expects the front players to be creative and attacking but also be in position to win the ball back as quickly as possible when we don’t have it.

‘It takes time to really buy into what the manager wants from you but I just trained hard on a daily basis, taking note of what he wants from the players.

‘Now I feel up to speed and know exactly what he wants from me. I just had to be patient and make sure I was ready. This is an enjoyable place to be right now. There is a wave of positivity around the club. I’m happy to be part of it.

‘I’d maybe want a few more minutes but the team has been doing so well.’

Nevertheless, Mackay-Steven faces a significant challenge to make himself a regular starter for Rodgers. When fit, Scott Sinclair and James Forrest are firmly established as the first-choice wingers, with Patrick Roberts able to deputise on either flank or behind the striker.

Rodgers sees no need to sugar-coat the situation but insists he has been impressed with how the 26-year-old has fought his way into contention.

‘Gary’s attitude has been amazing,’ said the former Liverpool boss. ‘He was very unfortunate when I first came in as he was injured in pre-season and then it was difficult for him.

‘He deserves a huge amount of credit because he never once gave up, never once thought he wasn’t going to get a chance.

‘And he has attributes that I like: pace and an eye for a goal. He presses well, works hard and I like how he plays. Sometimes it just takes a wee bit of time at a big club like Celtic and he has big competition.

‘If you think of him, Patrick, James and Scotty, I have four really good wingers that can create opportunities and can score goals. I think there is more to come from him in terms of creativity and goalscoring threat.’

Given that he was involved when Celtic exited the Scottish Cup last season and was absent for the entirety of this term’s successful League Cup campaign, there is no questioning Mackay Steven’s hunger to be involved in this afternoon’s quarterfinal against St Mirren. He started in what the manager described as a complete performance at Inverness in midweek. ‘I would echo those words,’ said the winger. ‘We were good value for the win and I was delighted to be part of that.’

To play in such a big game shows the boss has trust in me