Baur’s German call-up is excellent news for Celtic.

Mika Baur has just received his first senior Germany call-up, and I have to say, I bloody love that for him.

I love it for the player, for Celtic and for what it says about the quality of the footballer we have brought into Paradise.

Because sometimes, when a new player arrives at Celtic, we expect everything to happen immediately. We want the goals, the assists, the big performances, the headlines and the moments that make us sit up and say, “There he is!”

But football does not always work like that. Sometimes a player needs time to find his feet, understand his teammates, learn the demands of a new club and discover how to make his own football happen in a different environment.

That is why this Germany call-up is such a lovely piece of news.

Let us be clear: being called into Germany’s senior squad is not a small thing. This is a country with a huge footballing tradition and fierce competition for places. For Baur to receive that recognition is a vote of confidence in what he can do.

It tells us that there is something in his game that has been noticed at a very high level. For a young player beginning a new chapter, that kind of recognition can matter enormously. It is a reminder that we should not be too quick to judge someone who is still adapting.

I am not saying one call-up suddenly makes him the finished article. Of course it does not. But sometimes we forget that a footballer can be good and still need time.

Baur has arrived at Celtic with expectations. That is part of the deal when you play for this club. The shirt is heavy, the demands are enormous and every performance is examined through a microscope.

He is learning a new league, a new dressing room, a new manager’s ideas and a new rhythm of football.

He is also learning what it means to play for Celtic, where every match carries its own pressure and the supporters expect the team to be brave, aggressive and full of purpose. He has not been bad to watch, not by any manner of means. In fact, he shows all the signs of having something special.

But he is new here and we need to remember that when we look at him. We do not need to turn every match into a final examination of whether he is good enough or decide his entire Celtic career after a handful of appearances.

What we need to do is give him the opportunity to settle.

And let us not forget what this means for Celtic. When one of our players receives international recognition, it reflects well on the club. It shows that we can attract players with genuine quality and gives us another reason to take their development seriously.

We want Celtic to be a club where ambitious players come to improve, compete and make a name for themselves. We want players who believe they can reach another level here, and a squad full of footballers hungry to achieve something in green and white.

This could give Baur a real boost. Imagine arriving at a new club, trying to settle into a new team and then receiving recognition from your national side. It must feel good to know that people believe in you and that your work is being noticed.

I am not asking Celtic supporters to pretend that every performance has been perfect. That would be silly. We all know football is about standards, and Celtic must always demand more from their players. But there is a difference between demanding improvement and writing someone off.

Baur needs to understand the movement around him and build relationships with McGregor, Nygren and the rest of the midfield. He needs to feel comfortable receiving the ball, making decisions and imposing himself on matches.

Those things develop through experience and working with his teammates.

I would much rather see Celtic give him the time and support to develop than expect him to arrive fully formed. If we have signed a player whose quality has earned him a place in Germany’s senior squad, then surely, we should be interested in helping him reach his potential. That is what good clubs do.

As an English teacher, I would give this news a very simple verdict: a positive sign, a confidence boost and another reason to be patient. It guarantees nothing, but it gives us something to be pleased about while he continues to establish himself at Celtic.

I want to see him grow in power in that midfield. I want to see him become more confident, more influential and more comfortable in the green and white. I want to see him discover his own Celtic identity, and I think we should give him the time to do that.

Because sometimes the best things in football do not happen overnight.

Sometimes they begin with a player finding his feet, a club showing patience and a little vote of confidence from his country. Mika Baur has just received that vote. Now, let us see what he does with it.

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