Celtic supporters have been pretty satisfied in recent times despite seeing their side’s winning run in the Scottish Premiership come to an end at the weekend.
Brendan Rodgers’ men went into their encounter with Livingston on Sunday having won each of their previous five league games, keeping four clean sheets along the way. And while they added another shutout to their impressive tally at Almondvale Stadium at the weekend, they weren’t able to record a sixth straight win in drawing 0-0 with Gary Holt’s side, although it was enough for the Bhoys to return to the summit of the Scottish Premiership table for the first time this season.
Thus, there have been many happy Celtic fans up and down the country in recent times, several of whom are likely to be delighted with the recent form of youngster Ryan Christie, who has become an increasingly prominent member of Rodgers’ team this term to thus earn a new deal with the club earlier this week.
But it was former boss Ronny Delia who got a deal done for the 23-year-old back in the summer of 2015 for a reported £500,000, a figure which is looking increasingly like a bargain given he is starting to flourish under current boss Rodgers.
Ultimately, Christie made the move to Parkhead back in 2015 but was immediately loaned back to Inverness Caledonian Thistle for the rest of the 2015/16 season, only to sustain a knee injury which ultimately cut short his return to the top-flight side.
In fact, he was then sparingly used by Celtic boss Delia in the second half of the season with five Scottish Premiership appearances to his name and indeed one goal, but that didn’t convince new boss Rodgers too greatly given the midfielder appeared just seven times in all competitions in the 2016/17 campaign.
As such, Rodgers made the bold call to loan the 23-year-old out to Scottish Premiership rivals Aberdeen in the second half of that season and indeed for the duration of the last one, allowing Christie to shine with a mightily impressive 15 goals and 18 assists in 57 appearances for Derek McInnes’ side, helping them to back-to-back second place finishes.
And that spell, and thus Rodgers’ big decision, seems to have paved the way for the midfielder to earn more game time at Celtic given he has appeared 15 times in all competitions under Rodgers this term, eight of which coming in the Scottish Premiership, including the last three which have all been starts.
And with three goals and three assists for the Bhoys in all competitions, it’s clear that the 23-year-old is beginning to flourish and thus fulfil his potential under Rodgers, a manager who is renowned for giving young players an opportunity in the first team.
So while Delia deserves credit for sealing a bargain deal for the midfielder, he then subsequently didn’t play him too often, with Rodgers’ bold call to let leave for Aberdeen, alongside the manager’s own faith in young players, enabling the 23-year-old to flourish under the Northern Irishman this season.
Celtic fans… what do you think? Let us know!
