Ryan Christie: Old Firm defeat has given us hunger for title

Ryan Christie is an integral part of Brendan Rodgers Celtic team as they chase success at home and in Europe.

Discreetly inked on his arm is an inscription in Latin which reads Every man is the architect of his own fortune, an adage the midfielder insisted guides his life.

Even so, the Celtic midfielder may have spent part of last week’s winter camp in Dubai contemplating just how his career had gone from strength-to-strength during the year just gone, one which began with him midway through a second loan spell at Aberdeen but ended with him a firm fixture in Brendan Rodgers’ plans.

“A lot has changed,” admitted the 23-year-old. “This time last year, I was up the road with Aberdeen. When I was out there with them, I was concentrated on them and wasn’t really thinking about anything else.

“But I’ve been delighted with how it’s panned out, signing a new contract to get that stable mindset to get better at Celtic.

“It always helps when times are tough to have a really good set of people around you and I have.

“I’ve mentioned him a lot, but my dad is there and close to home, the guys at Celtic and the manager used to tell me that my Celtic career wasn’t over.

“When I was going on loan to Aberdeen, he was telling me why and what I needed to work on, so I never really felt in my head my time was over and I slowly managed to work my way into the team.

“I can’t complain. There had been a few ups and downs through the year, but I was delighted with the way it panned out in the end.

“I managed to find a bit of form through November and December which I was pleased with.

“It’s nice to be well thought of. When we went on that great run in that spell, it was a real team effort and the likes of James  [Forrest] and everyone were at the top of their game.”

In that period Celtic lifted the League Cup yet again, assured themselves of Europa League action going into this year and headed into the winter break top of the league, albeit only on goal difference from arch-rivals Rangers – although they do have the comfort of a game in hand – after losing at Ibrox in the final game of 2018.

The first week of the new year was spent working in the sunshine, time which, insisted Christie, he and his team-mates are determined to put to good use when they return to action, starting with this weekend’s Scottish Cup tie at home to Airdrie.

Ryan Jack’s strike that day ended Rodgers’ 12-match unbeaten run against Rangers, a point which Christie revealed his manager had made to his players after the game, one in which he found himself, along with team-mates Scott Brown and Anthony Ralston, tangling with the  Ibrox club’s controversial striker Alfredo Morelos.

“The manager said we need to learn from it,” he revealed. “That it needs to be a learning curve. We will try and do just that. It has given us the hunger to get back after the break and really kick on. We will respond positively, I think. We have enough confidence in our camp that we are used to not listening to outside voices. We know how good we can be.

“Everyone has said this is a more competitive league this season and that’s throughout it, not just at the top of the table. There isn’t an easy game and that is good  for Scottish football, it is bringing an excitement back. But for us, we concentrate on ourselves.”

Christie admitted he was taken aback when Morelos wasn’t shown a yellow card after appearing to slap him while Celtic were enraged when it was learned no action at all would be taken against the Colombian striker for any of the incidents involving their players.

But the former Inverness Caledonian Thistle player insisted it was time to move on, saying: “There’s a lot been made about it at the time with the refereeing and the SFA, but as a player, that game is over and I look forward.

“As a player, there’s not much I can say on it. It’s for powers above to decide.

“At the time, I was surprised [by no yellow card], but like I say, it’s up to the referee.

“On the day or maybe a couple of days afterwards, it’s frustrating. You feel the anger towards the result, but now it’s past it and we’re all focused on really moving  forward.”