| McGeady injury hampers an early call-up With
Richard Purden
 No-one could deny
that Gordon Strachan’s first season in charge of the Hoops has been
something of a struggle as injuries, dud singings and half-baked performances
from some players take their toll.
Republic of Ireland midfielder Aidan McGeady now looks set to be on the
sidelines for six weeks after a shock training ground injury. McGeady
has regained phenomenal form for Celtic since a dressing room shake-up
earlier in the season.
A change in attitude and performance in the player has also turned Celtic’s
season around but after suffering a damaged knee in training it looks
as though he going to be out until at least March.
It’s bad news for Celtic who only managed a draw 3-3 draw against
Dundee United while Hearts re-ignited the SPL title race by demolishing
their Edinburgh rivals Hibs 4-1.
Celtic can take heart that they have secured the services of Stilian Petrov.
The 26-year-old has been Celtic’s backbone and one of the most creative
players since he joined six years ago. Petrov eventually thrashed out
a deal that will lift him to the echelons of Celtic’s highest paid.
He said: “They came back and made me an offer which made me and
my family happy. Was I going to leave? Not really because I still had
another 18 months to go on my contract.”
For a period of months now the player has been in limbo and unsure of
his future. It is hoped now he can find past form again and help rescue
a difficult season for the Hoops.
He said: “We all know what I wanted and how high Celtic could go.
Therefore it was a long negotiation of three or four months. I started
to get nervous about that because everyone, especially fans and even teammates
were asking me what was going to happen.
“Everyone wanted to know if I was going to sign and I couldn’t
concentrate on my football. I wasn’t right in my head and that’s
why I took a break from the talks and decided what I really wanted.”
Getting Celtic back into Europe is one of the Bulgarian’s reasons
for staying at the club.
He said: “A lot of people were trying to give me advice. In Bulgaria
some ask me why I don’t want to play in the Premiership but we have
done well in Europe in the last few years and gained respect. Hopefully
we can do that again.”
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