Ryan Christie has come back to Celtic a different player this season.
Speaking to The Scottish Sun, Derek McInnes has congratulated Ryan Christie on his Celtic resurgence.
The 23-year-old midfielder has had a brilliant last month for Celtic and saw his form rewarded recently after signing a new contract at Parkhead.
It has taken the young Scot a while to establish himself with the Scottish giants, having initially joined from Inverness over three years ago, and two successful loan spells under McInnes at Aberdeen helped to prepare him for the rigours of playing for the Hoops.
In fact, the Scottish manager claims that it had always been Christie’s plan to return to Parkhead and stake a claim in Brendan Rodgers’s first team, something he is doing right now.
“Ryan was a big player for me at Aberdeen. His intention was to try and be good enough and to be ready to go back and compete and play more regularly for Celtic,” he told The Scottish Sun. “And he has played a big part in a resurgence of Celtic results over the last month or so.
“I think like any youngster it is about making the most of your opportunity and he has had to wait, but some things are worth waiting for. For what I have seen he has been very influential and has been scoring goals so he is now doing for Celtic what he was doing for us on loan.
“Good on him because he is such a brilliant boy. He works extremely hard and it is good to see his patience and determination rewarded.”
McInnes’s comments might please some Celtic fans.
He paints a picture of a young player who never wanted anything else but to impress for the Premiership champions and it must be exciting for him to be doing that now.
Christie, who has three Scotland caps, was handed a recall by Alex McLeish for the international break on the back of his Celtic form.
It’s very much onwards and upwards for the youngster now.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
