Invincible treble as good as it gets for Patrick Roberts

He might be only 20 but Patrick Roberts is already certain winning a treble while remaining unbeaten will be the greatest achievement of his career.
Celtic's Kieran Tierney, left, and Patrick Roberts celebrate at full-time. Picture: SNSCeltic's Kieran Tierney, left, and Patrick Roberts celebrate at full-time. Picture: SNS
Celtic's Kieran Tierney, left, and Patrick Roberts celebrate at full-time. Picture: SNS

The winger was hailed by the Celtic fans at the end of Saturday’s Scottish Cup final win over Aberdeen and will return to parent club Manchester City for the start of pre-season.

But he is sure to be welcome back at Parkhead if that’s where his future should lie next season. Brendan Rodgers has already signalled his intent to recruit him again if City decide he can leave on loan once more.

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“I don’t know if I’ll ever play for a team who can go a whole season unbeaten – invincible,” said Roberts. “So I think, when I look back on my career, this will be the biggest highlight, my biggest accomplishment in the game. It’s good to get that so young, although I hopefully have a big career ahead of me.”

Roberts will be anguished to leave Kieran Tierney when he returns to England. The youngsters have become good friends and Roberts, 
prematurely it turned out, wore Tierney’s top at the end of Saturday’s game, with the full-back having received a broken jaw earlier.

But Tierney did make it back in time to enjoy the celebrations after returning from hospital following a clash with Aberdeen striker Jayden Stockley in the first half. Tierney was particularly emotional when he lifted the cup, turning to the Celtic fans while grabbing the club crest on his (replacement) shirt.

Proving he has picked up the Scottish vernacular in what has, to date, been a season-and-a-half stay at Celtic, Roberts described Tierney’s bloodied mouth as “minging”.

Such was the extent of the damage, he hadn’t expected to see his friend climb the Hampden stairs to collect his winner’s medal. “I thought it was only right to get his shirt out, if he wasn’t going to make it, because the fans love him to bits,” explained Roberts. “He’s Mr Celtic.

“When he did turn up, there was more anger than joy when he picked up the trophy!

“I’m just delighted for him because he’s born into this club. To win a treble and go a whole season invincible at the club he supports, it’s massive to him.”

Roberts did hint at a Parkhead return. “If it is a goodbye, it will be a tough goodbye, because it’s a massive club. Especially coming up here, they took me when I was only 19. To go on loan at a club like this is massive. I’ve been given an opportunity to play in truly massive games, to win trophies and win titles. It’s more than I could have asked for.”

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Quizzed on his use of “if”, he added: “I’m not going to say anything in case you read into it!”

Perhaps only James Forrest, who lost his place to Roberts towards the end of the season, could be in any way unhappy at the player’s decision to miss the Under-20s World Cup in Korea with England for the chance to seal the treble.

Forrest was an unused substitute on Saturday but contributed plenty during the season. Roberts proved difficult to dislodge after scoring five of his 11 goals for the season in the last weeks of the campaign.

“I had the belief that we could do something special, that we could come here and win the trophy,” said Roberts, with reference to opting out of the trip to Asia. “The lads are doing well out there anyway, so they don’t need me! But it’s a good decision and I’m glad I made it.”

Callum McGregor found himself re-allocated to left-back after Tierney’s departure. Apart from one mistake which nearly let Aberdeen in seven minutes into the second half, he proved as reliable as ever.

“To be fair I think that was one of the only breakaways they had in the second half,” said McGregor, who has emerged as one of Celtic’s pivotal figures of the season. “It was a pretty scary moment, aye! Normally when you make a mistake like that you get 
punished for it but thankfully this time we didn’t.”

McGregor, pictured left, was absent from the Scotland squad for the forthcoming clash with England named by Gordon Strachan a week ago.

Even though Scotland could be in need of a full-back given Tierney’s likely absence, the 23-year-old isn’t expecting a call-up. He is going to Puerto Banus with his family and expects to watch the World Cup qualifier over there.

“I have booked a holiday so unless I get a call I reckon that is my season over,” he said. “Of course it is disappointing not to get the call. I just have to focus on my Celtic stuff.”