National bond is key for Ntcham in making more Celtic memories
ON the face of it, Olivier Ntcham’s late penalty goal against Rangers seemed the result of Moussa Dembele’s selflessness.
Without wishing to talk down his close friend, the Frenchman reveals that was not quite the case.
By the time Jason Holt clattered into Patrick Roberts in the Scottish Cup semi-final, Dembele had already chipped home Celtic’s third goal from the spot and was under instruction to defer the next spot-kick to his midfield colleague.
‘It was my turn,’ declared Ntcham. ‘Moussa had the first penalty and then it was me.’
Ntcham resisted the opportunity to ape his compatriot’s Panenka dink but that did not dilute the experience of registering his first goal in the fixture.
‘Moussa’s penalty was very confident but he told me he would do that before,’ added Ntcham. ‘I was really happy because it was my first goal against Rangers and you never forget.
‘For the fans, it is more emotional to see a goal against Rangers because it is not just about football, it is about something else.’
There is a clear feeling of solidarity among the French contingent in the Celtic dressing room, with Odsonne Edouard scoring his own landmark goal against Rangers at Ibrox in March.
Edouard’s future is unclear. Celtic agreed a fee with Paris Saint-Germain when they secured the striker on a season-long loan but his parent club retain a veto.
A proposed/imminent tie-up between PSG and Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes may yet see the 20-year-old move elsewhere to play his football next season but Ntcham reports that his younger friend is enjoying life in Scotland.
‘For me, Odsonne is a very good player and the more he plays the more he improves,’ said Ntcham.
‘He is happy here. Yes, I would like him to stay but I won’t try to persuade him because he is his own man. He knows how I feel.
‘It helps to have fellow French players. I had two alongside me when I was on loan at Genoa.
‘Even on the pitch, when you don’t understand something, they can help you.’
Recently turned 22, Ntcham is only a young player himself and cites Celtic’s Frenchspeaking Ivorian coach Kolo Toure as assisting with his own settling-in process in Glasgow. Although purchased from Manchester City, the midfielder had never lived in England, having spent an extended period in Italy with Genoa. Rodgers always felt his dynamic play would be suited to Scottish football but that it would take him time to adapt to the full diet of British-style football. It was rare to see Ntcham start consecutive matches in the early weeks of the season but he has become more prominent since the winter break and was a stand-out performer on the day Edouard stole the headlines for Rodgers’ ten-man team at Ibrox. ‘For me, the first year has been quite good,’ he said. ‘I’m happy to be here and in every game I am feeling my progression.
‘I feel stronger now. When you play you get that rhythm. When you get more games, it’s normal to feel more powerful and also more intelligent and clever.
‘Scotland suits me. I don’t like the weather but I live in Bothwell and it’s quiet, so I like that.’
Aberdeen’s victory over Hearts on Friday night means Celtic need the full three points against Rangers to clinch the title today.
Celtic could have made today an all-out party had they defeated Hibs last weekend but Ntcham was forced off at half-time with a knock as Neil Lennon’s team powered to a deserved victory.
‘I took a knock on my foot but I feel fine now,’ he added. ‘I watched the rest of the match from the dugout and it was disappointing because we wanted to win the title.
‘That gives us extra motivation to do it this time. It’s a match we need to win as we want to win the title.’