Chris Sutton has admitted he thought Ryan Christie would never make it at Celtic, but is now incredibly impressed by the impact he’s had on Brendan Rodgers’ first-team.
Christie has burst onto the scene at Celtic Park over the last month or so, starting with coming off the bench during the League Cup semi-final win over Hearts.
Since then he’s barely put a foot wrong, even when the Hoops aren’t playing well, and has done enough to secure a new long-term contract at the club.
Sutton is hugely impressed, writing in his Daily Record column this week.
I’m not going to tell you lies, I had my doubts that he was going to get his chance, or should I say, prove that he was worthy an extended chance.
Christie looked for all the world that he was going down the Scott Allan road to nowhere at Parkhead. Yet the injury sustained by Olivier Ntcham in the first half of the Betfred Cup semi-final at Murrayfield has proved to be a turning point in the lad’s career.
Christie has almost transformed the team.
Throughout the early weeks of the season, Celtic were missing that player to make the runs beyond the strikers from deep. To penetrate from the middle of the park the way Stuart Armstrong used to do.
Christie has come in and done that. The way he has bulked up is allowing him to go faster for longer.
Christie’s impressive loan at Aberdeen should have signified he always had a chance of making it at Celtic, but Rodgers’ continuous refusal to give him significant minutes did raise questions about his future.
Thankfully for all involved, those doubts appear to have been washed away and Christie is now not only shining for the Hoops, but the Scotland national team too.
Fingers crossed he can maintain it over the course of the 2018/19 season.
Previous article:
‘One of the best I’ve ever played with’ – Celtic star singles out teammate for high praise