With the first ever World Cup now over, the Scottish Premiership has now ended its own enforced pause for the tournament to take place, and Celtic’s battle at the top of the table has resumed as manager Ange Postecoglou guns for a second straight Scottish title.
Having joined over the summer from Swedish side Djurgarden, the 23 year old Montenegro international Sead Haksabanovic found himself a free agent following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and his deal with FC Rubin Kazan was cancelled, late on in August.
He moved to Parkhead on a five year deal, and it is fair to say he has already begun impressing plenty in the Hoops fanbase.
Prior to the domestic European pause kicking in, the winger had gone on to make nine starting appearances for our former Australian international gaffer, with an additional eight showings from the substitutes bench, and he has chipped in with three goals.
With those three goals being a brace against Dundee United and an effort against Ross County once we had ticked into the month of November, he has understandably been named as the SPFL Premiership Player of the Month award winner and with games resuming now, for those who like a flutter they can again bet on football scores in the remainder of the season.
On being handed the gong, he promised fans that ‘there is more to come from me’ as he continues to adjust to life at the club.
Quoted by the BBC, he explained.
“It feels really good. I think I’ve done alright, hopefully I can get more goals and assists so I can help the team win, and I’m enjoying myself. I know what I can do but I didn’t expect I would win player of the month. I am just happy to be here. I would say there is more to come from me. I came without playing any games before I came. Now I have some games in me, so hopefully I can improve every day out here training, working hard, hopefully I can do more and score more goals. He (Ange Postecoglou) has given me confidence, he is telling me you can do your one on ones and don’t be afraid.”
Celtic resumed their league campaign on Saturday afternoon and secured a 1-0 victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie Stadium. Although the score line was not that impressive, the manner of the victory and the dominance we had on the game was, and the match restored our nine point gap at the top of the table.
Although Haksabanovic did not feature in this one, given the existing lead we hold in the domestic table, Postecoglou was delighted that we had again hit the ground running – even if it required a late 87th minute winner from Callum McGregor as he made an injury return after two months out on the sidelines.
“Even if we had got a draw, I wouldn’t have been disappointed with our performance. You’re always looking at what our approach was like, our football, our mentality. And I thought it was first rate in every department. Getting the goal is great because it rewards the players. It’s easier then for me to keep feeding into that and telling them to go down this road.”
Onwards and upwards for the games that remain in the 2022/23 campaign now.
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