Before Hampden last week, I was reading – with some amusement – Sevco fans who hoped that we would play Frimpong.
They thought Kent would have a field day and tear him apart.
Those clowns had never watched a minute of the kid and doubtless thought that it was nothing but Celtic fan hype.
They don’t understand us at all.
We don’t do that.
Frimpong was getting praise because Frimpong deserved it. And at Hampden he owned the Sevco left hand side until his sending off. His momentary misjudgement in the penalty box – and it didn’t deserve a red either – was about the only thing he did wrong in the game.
By full time he was one of the players everyone was talking about. Today he scored the opener and turned in a man of the match display. No-one is laughing now. Nobody doubts that we are watching a major, major footballer take his first big steps onto the stage.
The emergence of Frimpong has been one of the highlights of the season so far, and this season has had plenty of highlights already. But there is something especially pleasing about watching a kid this good secure a place in the team and turn in such displays. The whole crowd gets to its feet when he is on the ball; he’s an old school entertainer.
So too is French Eddie, of course, and these players have a good understanding already.
Eddie should have more than one goal today, but his value to this side can’t be overstated. It’s good to see Leigh getting some more time on the park, but Eddie is the front man, Eddie has that place secured for as long as he wants it, no matter who else is in the squad.
The squad is holding up rather well. Lennon won the manager of the month award for November and on current form will be the favourite for December too. We play Hearts in midweek – it will be a tough fixture, but we should be confident of the win.
After that it’s Aberdeen at Celtic Park next weekend and then St Mirren away before Sevco comes rolling into town, doubtless on another wave of hype if they can manage to get past Hibs and Killie beforehand. They, of course, have a free midweek.
Quite how they managed to get their own catch-up tie postponed until the New Year I do not know, but we can come out of Wednesday five clear and let them worry about it. It actually does put more pressure on them in the short term … we’ll take it.
This has been another good day, another three points, keeping up this amazing home record, keeping up Lennon’s incredible win ratio. Right from the start, November and December shaped up to be crucial, decisive, months … and they have been. We have weathered the storm brilliantly thus far.
Hearts are next, but we’re looking very good right now.