Ryan Christie might not have been a key part of Celtic’s bid to win a treble Treble.
And his absence would have been partly down to current Parkhead boss, Neil Lennon, had a high-profile transfer had gone differently.
Lennon revealed: “I tried to get Ryan to Hibs at the start of the season, before he made his impact here.
“There was talk of John McGinn signing for Celtic, and we were very keen to take Ryan to Easter Road.
“It’s obviously worked out well for him, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of him on the pitch.
“Ryan was a real catalyst, once he got into the Celtic team, for a lot of good performances.
“The one which sticks out is the League Cup semi-final against Hearts.
“His second-half performance was superb and the team went on to have a great win that day.
“He’s not looked back since.”
Christie certainly wasn’t an overnight success at Parkhead since signing from Inverness Caley Thistle in 2015.
He had a loan spell back in the Highlands then 18 months playing with Aberdeen.
Injury problems have also punctuated his career in recent seasons, and Lennon admires his determination to prove he can play for the champions.
He said: “Players, when they join such a big club, can be written off very quickly.
“Maybe that was the case for Ryan?
“But he’s improved in a physical sense.
“His professionalism is good and he’s a real talent.
“I think Scotland missed him in the two games there. I think he would have been ideal for what Alex McLeish is trying to do.
“His appetite for training is excellent, and he’s come back from his recent injury quicker than expected.
“That speaks volumes for his desire to get back in the team.”
Enjoy the convenience of having The Sunday Post delivered as a digital ePaper straight to your smartphone, tablet or computer.
Subscribe for only £5.49 a month and enjoy all the benefits of the printed paper as a digital replica.
Subscribe