IT’S early days for Olivier Ntcham at Celtic but the signs so far suggest he is a serious footballer.
Built like a brick outhouse and quick, two qualities beloved by all managers, the midfielder plays with his head up, can spot a pass and is ridiculously comfortable on the ball.
Ntcham was a class above against Linfield – all the Celtic players were to be honest – and while he is a not a man of many words, the 21-year-old is your archetypal 'does his talking on the pitch' kind of player.
He said: “I enjoyed a lot. It was my first competitive game and we won 4-0, so I am happy. I am not yet 100 per cent fit, but I am getting better every day. Every game will help me.
“I’ve settled in well here. The squad is training together every day so it is easy for me to get to know them and them to get to know me.
“It was a good atmosphere inside the stadium. For me, it was maybe the first time I have seen a lot of people like that, because it wasn’t like this in Italy.
“I enjoy the way this team plays. I already played this way when I worked under Patrick Vieira at Manchester City. I know this style of football. The way the manager here wants to play is very similar to what I experienced at City in terms of the system and style.
“I hope I can be a first choice in midfield. You need to have confidence but in the end it is the manager who makes the choice, not me.”
Brendan Rodgers certainly has high hopes for his big summer signing.
“Oli has come in and we’re trying to get him game time,” said the Celtic manager. “He had just over an hour and you can see his qualities.Once he gets up to speed and gets relationships, he will be a great asset. You can see his power and passing ability.”
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