One Celtic Striker Faces A Race Against Time He Never Expected.

When we made our move for Kyogo Furuhashi, few of us could have imagined that he would have such an impact in the team that it would totally overshadow the debut, when it came, of Giakoumakis.

The big Greek had been signed from Holland where he had finished the season top scorer.

If you were talking a marquee player, he would have been the one.

Today he finds himself the second choice.

Had Ajeti not gotten injured he might have found himself third choice. If we sign another striker in January – which looks likely – he may yet find himself in that nasty position. Yet he doesn’t deserve that.

Giakoumakis finds himself in a race against time, for no other reason than he’s been unlucky with injuries. We still don’t know what kind of player we’ve got here. He has looked good in flashes, but that one moment against Livingston haunts him.

He has had no chance to settle yet. He must be frustrated at what has befallen him.

He would have been a huge asset these past few weeks; his bad luck was to be the first injured, so there was no opportunity for him to take advantage of other’s misfortunes.

This boy is a goal-scorer. He just hasn’t had the opportunity to score goals, and suddenly he stands on the brink of being third choice striker at his new club. His race against time is against January.

He doesn’t have much time, or many games, to get himself into the team.

His one advantage is that Kyogo has already played near enough a full season. The new boys from Japan will also have played a complete campaign, and there will, therefore, be rotation.

But before they sign he will have one last chance to show us what he can do.

Giorgios Giakoumakis has to grab it when it comes. The news that he may soon be fit will is good news for Celtic and good news for the player himself. Not a moment too soon.