Former Celtic striker John Hartson has jumped to the defence of under-fire Adam Idah, with some looking to write off the Irish forward despite scoring in the last three Celtic games, including the equaliser against Rangers on Sunday at Ibrox.
Having signed from Norwich City for £9 million in the summer, Idah has scored 18 goals this season, despite often being tasked with coming off the bench — a respectable tally for a player who at times has found himself playing second fiddle to Kyogo and Daizen Maeda throughout the season.
In recent weeks, Idah has looked back to his best, but as Glasgow Derbies go, if a striker doesn’t score with every shot, they aren’t performing well enough, according to the standards some have began to expect from Celtic strikers.
However, with a common-sense reflection on Idah’s first full season at Celtic, Hartson sees a big future for the Irish striker.
He said: (Sky Sports), “He’s got 18 goals and still learning. When he came to Celtic, he was a sub for Norwich for a long period. He was out of the team and did well when he arrived on loan.
“Celtic then went in for him, thinking he helped them win the league and get over the line the previous season with some really big goals. He’s got 18 this term with a few more games to go; that is a really good return.
“I like him, he has pace, powerful and runs in behind. I think naturally, the more goals he scores and opportunities he gets, he will keep banging in the goals.
“I have been a fan of his since day one.”
Idah has shown moments of brilliance when it matters most, at Hampden to reach the Scottish Cup final, in the Champions League to seal knockout football, and against Rangers on Sunday. What more can you ask of a forward who is clearly still improving week on week?
He’s not a complete striker yet, but if Idah adds consistency, he has all the traits to become a top forward for Celtic. He thrives under pressure in big moments but struggles to maintain consistency, and that will be what Idah looks to work on over the next 12 months to silence his critics.
Hartson knows more about what it takes to lead the Celtic line, and the fact that he is backing Idah shows the Irishman still has a lot to offer, despite being wrongly written off by some. Only the future knows what Adam Idah’s Celtic career will look like in a year’s time.
