Luke McCowan’s former manager Tony Docherty has backed the Celtic midfielder to reach new heights after an impressive debut season in Glasgow’s east end.
Docherty, who managed McCowan at Dundee, played a pivotal role in transforming his game by shifting him from a wide position into a more central role. That positional tweak sparked a resurgence in McCowan’s form and led to his move to Celtic on deadline day last summer.
The 27-year-old scored seven goals and contributed nine assists for the Hoops, often coming off the bench but making a consistent impact. Docherty, speaking about the transfer, revealed the pride he took in being part of the journey. [RecordSport]
“When he got his move to Celtic, I knew how successful he would be. It’s rewarding to see him involved at that level, playing in Champions League nights and all that kind of stuff.
“I actually remember taking him into my room and telling him [a bid had been accepted]. It was great, because for me, that’s the rewarding thing about the job.
“When you work with a player like Luke, I see how hard he trains every day. Yeah, he’s a Celtic fan and it was a fantastic move for him, but a move that he really earned.
“I’d like to think I helped him, and because of that, I took great pleasure in taking him into my room and shaking his hand.
“But listen, he’s there now, and he’s there on absolute merit. I’ve got his back. He’s got a big season coming up now, and he’s got to improve.
“I think he did that last year. A lot of people have seen how good a player he is.
“For me, he’ll get better this year, because he’s now got experience behind him of playing at Celtic, something that he wanted to do when he was a kid.
“He’s now done it, but he now realises he’s a big player there, so he’s got to contribute like he did last year.
“I’ve got to say, he’s working with an absolutely brilliant manager as well on a day-to-day basis. Brendan Rodgers and his coaching staff will get even more out of him.”
McCowan will be looking to crack on next season. He’ll get a full pre-season with the manager, and will participate in Celtic’s pre-season friendly schedule.
Celtic are set to bring in another midfielder to the club. Benjamin Nygren has all but completed his move to Glasgow, with the Hoops securing a cut-fee deal for a player eho can play the no. 10.
Links are still emerging for midfielders, with reports yesterday claiming that the club are keeping an eye on 24-year-old Moussa Baradji.
There has still been no official movement this summer for Lennon Miller.
