Adam Idah insists he’s ready to take his Celtic career up a level after hitting the 20-goal mark in his first full season at Parkhead and believes his goals in Europe have given him the belief he needs to kick on.
The 24-year-old arrived at Celtic 12 months ago in a £9.5 million move and, despite questions from some sections of the support, managed to reach a significant milestone while largely featuring from the bench.
Three of his 20 goals came on the European stage, including a strike in the 86th minute on his Champions League debut during a 5-1 rout of Slovan Bratislava and a well-taken brace away to Aston Villa. Idah’s double in the six-goal thriller briefly had Celtic level at Villa Park, though Brendan Rodgers’ side eventually fell to a 4-2 defeat.
The Irish striker knows he still has plenty to prove in Glasgow, but he’s adamant the experience of scoring at the highest level has been a turning point.
“Yeah 100 per cent. I’ve said it plenty of times, for me confidence is a big thing. Obviously to score in the Champions League, one of the biggest competitions in the world, is amazing for me,” said Idah to RecordSport.
“To do that in my first season playing in the Champions League was fantastic. You’re playing against the best players in the world, and to score goals in that competition is a fantastic feeling. It did really help.”
Having played a supporting role in much of last season’s campaign, Idah believes his partnership with Brendan Rodgers will be key to what comes next.
“That was one of the reasons why I joined Celtic in the first place. I have lots of trust in the manager. I think he’s got a lot of trust in me, and we’ve come up with a plan together when I first signed, and it’s about taking each step as it comes now.
“Next season’s obviously going to be a big season for me. I’m looking forward to it.”
With Celtic facing another demanding domestic campaign and hopefully a return to Champions League football, the pressure is on for Idah to deliver. But with European goals already under his belt and the backing of his manager, he’s determined to turn potential into consistency.
