Articles

Ryan Christie’s Dilemma Sums Up The Problem Facing Ex-Celts In England.

|
Image for Ryan Christie’s Dilemma Sums Up The Problem Facing Ex-Celts In England.

I was not surprised today to see an article on Ryan Christie’s struggles to get into the Bournemouth team. I was, however, surprised that Ryan Christie would ever face that kind of challenge, because he was one of those guys I thought would succeed in that league.

Christie has the temperament and the dedication for it. He has the work ethic. All through his time at Celtic, when he wasn’t in the team, he was training like a madman to get fit. He worked hard and in the end the hard work paid off for him.

The answer to cracking the EPL is not to work harder. A guy signed from the SPL is going to have be better than his peers by some distance to get the recognition that he deserves and a lot of managers down there are always going to prefer a bling player.

His coach at Bournemouth has told him that he’s still part of the plans, and that may well be the case, but the longer a player down there is out of a team the longer the road back is. He’s 28 now. He said he went to England for football reasons, but he’s finding out how much tougher it is to get regular games in that league.

No point in moving to “test yourself” if all you really do is test your own patience sitting in the reserves or on the periphery of the first team squad. I understand that he moved for a big payday at the midpoint of his career, I just didn’t see any sense in him denying that when it was a self-evident fact. All his statements since have denied what we all know full well.

I am not going to gloat. I’m here to express regret rather than anything else, because of the three players who left Celtic when Ange arrived, Christie played the most minutes and looked the best fit by far into our current system. He would have been a star under this guy and would have played a top role in this team of ours right now.

Ever since his departure, he has told us all that it was the football he left for; if that’s true, I wonder if he regards the move, or will come to regard the move, as a mistake?

If it was for the money he will have no regrets, but he’s already found – as Edouard has – how difficult it is to transition from our league to theirs.

The message Ange has sent to all of our players, and especially those who might fancy a move at some point, is equally clear; you play for a top team right now and if you leave for a top team you shouldn’t expect it to be easy.

Hell, if you move to a top league don’t expect it to be easy. The money might seem greener, but the grass often isn’t.

Share this article

0 comments

  • Johnno says:

    We all seen first hand the character of the likes of Christie, Eddie and ntcham amongst others produced in the 10iar season and became to think they were bigger than the club.
    Was delighted to see the back of them, regardless of how well they did at times for the club, but ended up blotting there copybook.
    Hardly given themselves a great impression of Scottish football so glad for them to be all struggling in English football.
    So the only question to ask such wasters is, was the extra money really worth it with such a stinking attitude?

    • Martin.H says:

      Could have stayed here, and be a part of something great, but good luck to him, preferred the money, and if you can’t get into that pathetic Bournemouth team, you couldn’t get into the current Celtic team.

    • Martin.H says:

      James, you should put in like and dislike arrows, or hands, in you site, some comments we don’t agree with but, don’t want to come back with direct criticism, because everybody is entitled to their opinion.

  • Peter Cassidy says:

    Both of them went to the epl to fill there bank accounts” first football 2nd. Don’t listen to the bullshit they always say why they want away money nothing else .

  • JimBhoy says:

    I don’t think Christie would have been anything other than a bit player under Ange. Who would he replace in the top 17 players looking for Celtic first team action?

    Christie hit a shot the crowd were in trouble. I think his Da played a part in his decision for football and silverware or Money.

    Can’t blame the guy, short career, his could be really short albeit there will be an Aberdeen or a Hibs willing to take him back for free.

    Haksabanovic is a much better player and only 23.

  • Johnny Green says:

    Christie was a waste of space in the 10iar season, he went through the motions and put in no effort whatsoever. i was glad to see the back of him and I am delighted he did not stay.

  • S Thomas says:

    The EPL is a completely different level compared to up here. I had a feeling both might have struggled down there. They had a good career at Celtic and were in a winning side. The EPL is the best league in the world, that’s the reason why both guys are not finding it easy. This is a case of the grass isn’t always greener.

  • SSMPM says:

    He followed Christie snr’s advice with all his worldy football experience. Not surprised in the slightest by his current position. He may had the energy for the Championship and the SPL but he’s not got the talent for the EPL, so couldn’t agree less with your assessment of him as a player. He might have got in Ange’s team at the beginning for that reason but not for long once Ange got his own choices in and no way would he get near this treble winning team. Maybe his dad’s advice was valid after all, ‘Chase the money while you can son’

  • John L says:

    He would not get into this current Celtic squad unless they started playing rugby

Comments are closed.