Georgios Giakoumakis is still waiting to make his first start since joining Celtic in a summer transfer, but Chris Sutton backs the striker to give Ange Postecoglou ‘another dimension’.
The four-time Premiership winner with the Bhoys has praised the forward in a column for the Daily Record after delivering an impressive display against Ferencvaros in the Europa League on Tuesday. Coming off the bench and imposing himself during a 19-minute cameo.
Postecoglou has rarely been able to utilise Giakoumakis since Celtic paid VVV-Venlo £2.5m for his transfer on Deadline Day. He made his Hoops debut from the bench against Bayer Leverkusen last month and Premiership bow at Motherwell last weekend.
Giakoumakis’ three appearances in all competitions so far have totalled just 52-minutes, but the Celtic striker has impressed Sutton. His brief showing against Ferencvaros proved what the six-cap Greece international can offer Postecoglou at Parkhead going forward.
“We can finally add Giakoumakis to the list of attacking options now,” Sutton said. “It’s not been a great start for the Greek striker, but I liked what I saw when he came off the bench the other day. He looked a real presence. He’s big, strong and he held the ball up well.
“His attempted overhead kick was a bit pie in the sky, but he was a threat. Most of all, he was something different. He gave Postecoglou another dimension, a physical presence and an alternative way to play when the game was shifting.”
Is this the start for Giakoumakis at Celtic since last-ditch transfer?
Giakoumakis will share Sutton’s hope that his promising performance against Ferencvaros marks the start at Celtic since his last-ditch transfer. The 26-year-old has endured a stinted time in Glasgow after a disrupted pre-season and saw injuries dash his early chances.
A calf issue sustained while warming up on the touchline against Raith Rovers also ended his hopes of a debut. Giakoumakis will now want to kick on to show Celtic why they signed him this summer, starting against St Johnstone.
The Hoops host Callum Davidson’s Saints on Saturday with a chance to go within a point of Premiership leaders Rangers. Postecoglou would surely like to see Giakoumakis score his first Celtic goal at Parkhead. Knowing he offered 29 in 33 games for VVV-Venlo last season.
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