Janko left Celtic for Barnsley at the end of the transfer window.
Celtic’s Janko Saidy in action with Inter Milan’s Ever Banega
Saidy Janko has told Barnsley’s official website that joining the club is a competitive step up from Celtic.
The defender signed on loan for the newly promoted Championship side on transfer deadline day, and is hoping to get regular first team football under his belt.
Janko has experience playing in the division previously, on loan at Bolton Wanderers while he was contracted to Manchester United.
Celtic’s new signing Saidy Janko looks on before the game
He believes a return to English football, even it’s second tier, puts him in a position to play football at a better standard.
He told the club website: “Celtic is a huge club always fighting for the title but I think the Championship is more competitive, the football down here is more competitive, every team wants to get to the Premier League. You only have to look at the Swansea versus Chelsea game yesterday to see how close the games are.”
Janko signed for Celtic last summer in a move which was seen as peculiar by many Manchester United fans, given how he had won individual awards in the Red Devils’ academy, and was regarded as a likely breakthrough player.
Celtic’s Saidy Janko in action against Hapoel Be’er Sheva
His season at Celtic did not go to plan though, disrupted by injury, and this season got off to a poor start with a disappointing individual display in the Champions League qualifiers against Hapoel Be’er Sheva, in which they were nearly eliminated.
That display evidently caused manager Brendan Rodgers to reconsider his options regarding Janko, and a loan move suited all parties.
Janko may simply be giving his honest assessment of the two leagues, but he is unlikely to win many friends at Celtic with his comments.
General view at Oakwell before the match
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