{"id":49518,"date":"2014-09-20T14:33:35","date_gmt":"2014-09-20T14:33:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=49518"},"modified":"2014-09-20T14:33:35","modified_gmt":"2014-09-20T14:33:35","slug":"wakaso-can-become-a-celtic-cult-hero-after-debut-goal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2014\/09\/wakaso-can-become-a-celtic-cult-hero-after-debut-goal\/","title":{"rendered":"Wakaso can become a Celtic cult hero after debut goal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ronny Deila had never seen Wakaso Mubarak in the flesh when he gambled on a one-year loan deal for the Ghanaian winger.<\/p>\n

Yet it took just one look at the stocky 24-year-old to detect a Celtic cult hero in the making. A potential crowd pleaser who can fulfil the Norwegian\u2019s craving for genuine pace and width in his team.<\/p>\n

Cast into the starting line-up in pressing circumstances against Salzburg in the Europa League, the World Cup star marked his debut with a stunning 14th-minute goal. His general display raised hopes that Celtic have made an astute capture. For 12 months, at least. Possibly longer, depending on price.<\/p>\n

\u2018I hadn\u2019t seen him play live before he came here,\u2019 Deila admitted. \u2018I have my people I trust and a scouting department here I\u2019m working with every day. They know what I\u2019m after.<\/p>\n

\u2018Wakaso has played in good clubs, like Espanyol, at a high level. I have contacts in Spain and they were seeing very positive things about him. I can now see why.<\/p>\n

\u2018It looks like he could become a fans\u2019 favourite at Celtic. Our fans like quick players, players who can go past people and who have energy. Wakaso had that in his game on Thursday night.<\/p>\n

\u2018That\u2019s the kind of team we want to be. We want to be similar to how Red Bull Salzburg were – that\u2019s our goal. Maybe not so wide, but very aggressive and hungry to win the ball. Wakaso showed that level.\u2019<\/p>\n

Noted for a raft of yellow and red cards during his time in Spanish football, Wakaso brought aggression and flair to Celtic\u2019s attacking efforts. He also brought a flair for the dramatic, one instance of rolling around following a heavy challenge from a Salzburg player showing a hint of cynicism.<\/p>\n

Yet Deila prefers to couch what he brings to the Celtic team in more diplomatic terms.<\/p>\n

\u2018He has a lot of confidence,\u2019 the Parkhead manager continued. \u2018African players are different from European players, of course. It\u2019s a different culture. But I\u2019ve worked a lot with African players and they need to be loved, like everyone else. I think he will develop.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s good that he\u2019s been in Europe now for many years. Had he come straight from Africa, then I would have been more afraid.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s also easier to be like that in an attacking rather than a defensive position.<\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s working hard and tactically he\u2019s been good. He knows the game.<\/p>\n

\u2018He takes cares of himself. He has natural talent there. But he needs time, he has a lot more to come.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"\"<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Celtic manager Ronny Deila had never seen the Ghanaian play before sanctioning a one-year loan move<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018He needs to be quicker and sharper, but that will come when he gets games.<\/p>\n

\u2018He didn\u2019t get back to Scotland from international duty last week until the Friday night, so that\u2019s why he didn\u2019t play against Aberdeen. I hadn\u2019t seen him in training.<\/p>\n

\u2018But he trained well this week, so he got the chance against Salzburg. He was very good in the game. It was very nice to see.<\/p>\n

\u2018He gives us another weapon in the wide midfield positions. He can eliminate players, get past them and he is good on the ball. That\u2019s what I wanted to see and I\u2019m happy for him.\u2019<\/p>\n

Wakaso\u2019s 14th-minute strike, a controlled first-time effort from the edge of the box showed what Deila described as \u2018fantastic technique,\u2019 adding: \u2018I hope he does more of that. It was a difficult shot to take on. He had a positive impact on the game. I want wingers who can work the pitch both ways, defensively and offensively, and he can do that. It\u2019s very positive for us.\u2019<\/p>\n

To suggest Wakaso has already shown enough for a permanent agreement would be premature. On loan from wealthy Russian club Rubin Kazan, there is also no guarantee Celtic could afford him.<\/p>\n

If the Scottish champions wish to sign Aleksander Tonev or Jo Inge Berget, they already know what they must pay. Asked if the same applied to Wakaso, Deila was nimble on his feet.<\/p>\n

\u2018I know what the fee is,\u2019 he said, \u2018but I won\u2019t share it. We\u2019ll see if it\u2019s affordable but there is always a negotiation.\u2019<\/p>\n

That sounded for all the world like he wouldn\u2019t be within their price range, but the Parkhead boss insisted: \u2018We wouldn\u2019t bring him here if it was not possible.\u2019<\/p>\n

Wakaso is one of four loan players, Celtic paying a fee for just one player when they signed Serbian Stefan Scepovic for \u00a32.2million.<\/p>\n

The early signs are mixed. Tall, but not imbued with great physical strength, Scepovic is no Chris Sutton. In two games against Aberdeen and Salzburg, his impact has been constrained to fleeting glimpses of ability.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"\"<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Wakaso (left, next to\u00a0Stefan Scepovic) has all the tools to become a cult hero at Celtic Park this season\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018I think he was better in the second half against Salzburg,\u2019 said Deila. \u2018He came more into the game.<\/p>\n

\u2018He hasn\u2019t played much and he needs to adapt. I see in training and in games that he has good qualities. I know in time he will succeed here.<\/p>\n

\u2018He needs to work on his physical side. It\u2019s more physical here than in Spain and he needs to work on his upper body.<\/p>\n

\u2018He needs more power but he\u2019s into the training and wants to develop so that will come.\u2019<\/p>\n

Scepovic, himself, admits he needs to bulk up and adapt to a Scottish game significantly more physical than he is accustomed to.<\/p>\n

\u2018I need time to get used to Scottish football but I think hard work on the training pitch and gym will make things okay,\u2019 said the new Bhoy.<\/p>\n

\u2018I will get a programme for the gym and, in time, everything will be how I expect.<\/p>\n

\u2018Sometimes strikers don\u2019t score for three games but then score in two or three in a row.<\/p>\n

\u2018The most important thing is we won the game against Aberdeen and then took a point away in Europe.<\/p>\n

\u2018Now we have to concentrate on the game against Motherwell.\u2019<\/p>\n

Captain Scott Brown was returning to Scotland via Germany yesterday after missing Celtic\u2019s flight home. Unable to produce a urine sample for drugs testers before Salzburg Airport closed, the skipper is expected to play against Motherwell tomorrow.<\/p>\n

Adam Matthews, James Forrest, Charlie Mulgew and Mikael Lustig are still out, while Scepovic is also struggling with a dead leg. John Guidetti is available after being ineligible for the Europa League.<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

Source: Dailymail<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ronny Deila had never seen Wakaso Mubarak in the flesh when he gambled on a one-year loan deal for the Ghanaian winger. Yet it took just one look at the stocky 24-year-old to detect a Celtic cult hero in the making. A potential crowd pleaser who can fulfil the Norwegian\u2019s craving for genuine pace and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":49519,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[29,3],"yoast_head":"\nWakaso can become a Celtic cult hero after debut goal - Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. 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