Yesterday’s five star performance by six-in-a-row Celtic was stark evidence of why the club should be rushing to sign Patrick Roberts on a permanent contract.
Drive it forward. Paid what we have to.
Had Sinclair not bagged a hat-trick then Roberts would have been my man of the match, after scoring a screamer himself and setting up two of Scott Sinclair’s goals with precision passing. James Forrest has had a great season it’s clear that pound for pound, Patrick Roberts is a level above him, and most other players.
His passing ability is better than Forrest’s and he can beat a man from a standing start – a talent in itself.
Roberts stepped up to the plate in a game where, once again at Tynecastle, the Hoops were without our twin strikers Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths.
Roberts loan deal ends this summer, as well all know. He may well depart our club a treble winner. How does he beat than, unless he goes on to become a regular at a top club? He could figure in the English Championship next season or play Champions League football. He could stake his claim at Celtic Park or he could take his chances back at the Etihad.
He has a dream. He has ambition. Celtic could provide him with more ambitions, and different dreams.
But this is real. Trophies at Celtic Park are real. He can have it all, but he has to be willing to make that trade.
And he’s not the only one.
It’s down to three men where his future lies.
Those men are Pep Guardiola, Brendan Rodgers and, yes of course, the player himself.
Guardiola will be getting regular updates of his progress in a Celtic jersey and may well fancy giving Roberts his chance at City.
It’s a conversation that will no doubt be had before his return to Manchester.
It would be soul destroying coming from the success at Celtic to be told you’re going to be on the bench.
Rodgers could be influential and let him know directly that he wants to keep him at any cost.
This could be the manager’s smartest move yet.
Sinclair and Dembele have been priceless as has Roberts.
Brendan seems to have a knack of making players feel wanted echoed by Sinclair’s comments to the media last week.
Roberts himself will know now what he wants to do.
His Q & A on Twitter never gave anything away but he’s loved it up here. He may well have ambitions to play in the Premiership but will have to ask himself if he’ll break into the City 1stTeam and will he be happy trying?
I genuinely think that he’ll struggle but could benefit from regular first team football at Celtic.
If Celtic do manage to secure his signature it will mark their intent for next season’s go at 7 In A Row.
Gavin McCann is a Celtic blogger who has written for various publications. He’s also a huge Patrick Roberts fan.