Celtic striker Adam Idah has reacted to the Hoops’ 1-0 win over Young Boys at Celtic Park tonight, which booked a place in the Champions League knockout play-offs next month.
Idah, who came off the bench in the game, ultimately played a part in the winning goal with his one-on-one effort through on goal, which deflected off Loris Benito in the 86th minute. The Hoops summer signing ultimately proved the difference off the bench.
The Irishman has come in for criticism in recent weeks, but ultimately his impact off the bench has seen Celtic book a place in the Champions League knockout play-offs.
It’s exactly what a player who seemed low in confidence needed after not being at his clinical best in recent months. He has deserved this moment, and the ovation from the Celtic Park crowd was well-earned.
Criticism of Idah has gone overboard in the media, given everything he did for Celtic last season. He hasn’t become a bad player overnight, and that showed with his willingness to run onto an exceptional Reo Hatate through ball, with the Irish striker praising Hatate’s pass.
Idah said:(TNT Sports), “It’s amazing, this feeling is indescribable.
“This is where we wanted to get to, we’ve been great this season, we’ve got here now and there’s still time to push on.
“Anytime I come on he [Brendan Rodgers] tells me to do my thing and be myself. These are the games I want to play in and have an impact in.
“Reo [Hatate], what a pass! He’s unbelievable, what a player he is.
“I got a bit lucky, but we’ll take it. I said to the boys I don’t care, that’s my goal.
“I think we can go far, we have got a great squad.
“We have come this far, why not dream big? We want to go to the top and we will go as far as we can.”
Given everything that has been said about Idah over the last two months, you can’t help but feel that it was the right player who made the difference.
Last season, he was simply unstoppable off the bench, with his late winners sealing a league and cup double. And tonight, in the Champions League, he proved the difference again. He is a different option to Kyogo, and that showed with his impact to get a historic late winner.
