ANGE POSTECOGLOU has given James Forrest his backing after starting for Celtic against Livingston on Sunday.
The winger has been widely criticised by fans and pundits. At the age of 30, James looked as if he was coming to the end of his Parkhead career. Hampered by injuries, it looked inevitable.
However, the Scottish International has shown a new burst of life over the past few games. On Sunday, he received his reward – a goal.
“He has had a tough time but I see him every day, you guys don’t,” Postecoglou told the Scotsman
“That is how I make my assessments and he has worked really hard in training. It is not easy when you don’t get a run of games but the quality he has has always been there.
“I have had to be patient for when I can throw him in because I know he can certainly help us. He is one of the more experienced ones and he can definitely help us. He is a winner, you know. We are going to need those types.
“I don’t know if he was lacking in confidence. It lacks a little bit of rhythm and that spark you need when you are an attacking player. He is an experienced guy and he knew what he had to do and he played his role very well. He and Jota really set the tone.”
Typically, wingers have a shorter shelf life than other players. Forrest’s signs of slowing down have been on show this season, but he’s not going down without a fight.
Forrest’s future at Celtic will become clearer in the summer. If Celtic signs a right-winger, it demonstrates that Postecoglou is planning for the 30-year-old to have a lesser impact.
