Ryan Christie may be on the verge of a loan move to Aberdeen this morning. If he is people ought not to see that as a reversal. Christie is a fantastic talent and we will not have seen the last of him. There is no prospect of it becoming a permanent move. He will return.
At Celtic Park right now, everyone gets a second chance.
Dedryk Boyata is a player I’d have said was gone, beyond the point where he could possibly hope to feature in the team. But Brendan Rodgers has a different idea. I’d have said that Gary Mackay Steven was on his way out. The manager disagrees. Nir Bitton? Apparently he isn’t finished yet and has a future at the club. Part of it is Brendan liking what they can offer, but we shouldn’t underestimate that other part, that they all want to stay. That they want to continue experiencing life with Celtic.
This is indicative of life under this guy; nobody wants it to end.
But Ryan Christie would do well out of a loan move.
He’s far too good a footballer to be stuck to the bench, far too big a talent not to be showing it off, playing every single week.
Kristofer Ajer has already gone on loan to Kilmarnock. That, too, is an excellent move. He is another footballer who needs to get first team games, although I do wish he’d gone elsewhere.
I was excited about the Ryan Christie signing when we secured it.
I remain excited about it today.
Ryan Christie is a fantastic footballer; at the time I said he was the most exciting young talent in Scotland outside of Celtic Park. I stand by that. If he goes to Aberdeen he will become, automatically, the most talented footballer in the country who is not playing in Hoops.
Ryan has been patient, and I am sure he’s not clamouring for this move. But he deserves the chance to go and be playing. I would be delighted to see him move north; his time in Inverness means he’ll friends there and he’d be a popular and important player in the Aberdeen side. He would also score goals, and drive forward their Europa League qualification campaign.
From the point of view of our fans, that would just be an added bonus.
Would there be a little mischief making in letting him go to the Dons?
Some in the media will certainly level the accusation but it’s a piece of nonsense. The conspiracy theorists can have their wee field day with it. If it was up to me I’d offer Aberdeen the pick of our bench but then the Sevconuts already accuse me of being a hater.
But there’s little doubt that when the season comes to an end that Ryan, and Celtic, will have been better off for such a deal if it happens. He will return a more rounded player, and one who’s ready to hit the ground run running in competitive games next season. We only have to look at the way Stuart Armstrong has been turned around to know that Ryan will get his opportunity to shine once again. For now, he needs to be playing.
I hope this move gets the green light for everyone’s sakes, but it is not a reversal. Ryan Christie will not see it as one. He will be back at Celtic Park, in the Hoops, because that’s where he’s meant to be. A little more patience, a little more time. It is certain.