The peacock emerges at Celtic as 'good lad' starts to find feet at champions

Nicolas Kuhn started out life at Celtic as one of the quieter members of the squad, but his team-mates are now seeing the “peacock” as he becomes more settled at the Premiership champions.

Kuhn, a January signing, has followed up an impressive pre-season with goals in each of Celtic’s first two league matches and right-back Alistair Johnston believes his team-mate is thriving from showing the personality and confidence to make himself a key player.

Johnston said: “He’s definitely more comfortable now in his role. He’s understanding, and he’s finding that confidence. We’re putting him in a better position to be the player that he is and to understand that we signed him for what he brings to the game. He’s not afraid to show that.

“You can see his directness and his confidence on the ball. He’s not just ‘touch and lending’ it. He’s now actually driving it, going at people. He’s a nightmare to defend because he can go inside, he can burn you on the outside and put it on to his right foot. So he poses some serious threats.

Nicolas Kuhn impressed for Celtic against Hibs. | SNS Group

“I think he’s really now picking up on the winger cues in terms of getting in at the back post, reading those kind of moments. He’s really kicked on and I think that will be a big level that he’s going to show this entire year. Nic is actually a reasonably quiet person, but he likes to have a good laugh and he’s a good lad. He likes to be a part of it.

“It’s not a club where you can just be a small personality and expect to just go out and play 90 and then go back into the shadows. You’re in it when you’re up here. You’re in a fishbowl in Glasgow. So you’ve got to be ready for that.

“And again, every single guy that we’ve brought in, and even if they are quiet personalities like Nic for example, I think he’s learned over these past six months that he’s got to be a peacock a little bit – go out there, be confident.

“And when you do that, you’re going to play some good football and you’re going to be loved here.”