Rangers v Celtic: Mercurial McCourt prepared to bide time after losing starting slot to wing rival

Pat McCourt is the type of player who likes to weave around obstacles in his path and he is stoic about the latest hindrance to his Celtic career.

Kris Commons' arrival has given him a direct rival, and he can't have been cheered to see the former Derby County player take his place in the team on successive recent occasions against Aberdeen. It must have been particularly dispiriting given the fact McCourt was flying prior to Commons' arrival.

The Northern Irishman was enjoying a fine run of both form and fitness and in this period he was rewarded with a first start against Rangers. Making it an even more significant day was the fact he was also handed the full 90 minutes in the 2-0 win in January, something which helped muffle those who continually questioned his physical condition.

He admits that this was a fair accusation to throw at him in his early days at Celtic. But now he is injury free he is eager to continue proving the critics wrong in a season where he has already made 24 appearances and scored six times. But the momentum has been interrupted by Commons' arrival, although McCourt had been dropped to the bench against Hearts - before Celtic delved into the transfer market again. However, the addition of another wide player hasn't helped McCourt's chances of becoming a regular starter. Asked whether he views Commons as a threat to his own hopes of appearing in tomorrow's Scottish Cup fifth-round tie at Ibrox, he replied "without a doubt".

"Kris has played the last three games when I've been on the bench," McCourt added. "So it would be silly of me to sit and say no. But competition is healthy and Kris has made a very good impression on the team already.

"It might be a case of me being patient again and waiting my turn. But I would like to think I have shown the manager, when I was called upon, that I won't let him down and will perform reasonably well." This time last year McCourt had just played his way back into then manager Tony Mowbray's plans after he helped change a game when coming on against St Johnstone in Perth at the end of January, and having been all set to join Blackpool on loan. "Maybe that game saved my Celtic career," he said yesterday.

"I was almost set up to go, but Tony changed his mind a bit and that was it. Then in the summer it was as simple as sitting down and asking the manager (Neil Lennon] his plans. I had a chat with him and he asked me to stay on and extend my contract. I'm really glad I listened to him because I am really happy with the time I've had here (since]."

Meanwhile, Celtic have handed a trial to French centre-half Julien Baudet as Lennon looks to bolster his defensive options.

Lennon has been without injured trio Thomas Rogne, Daniel Majstorovic and Glenn Loovens in recent weeks and has now given the 32-year-old former Seattle Sounders and Colorado Rapids player a chance to impress.

Baudet has recently been with Sounders in Major League Soccer and won the MLS Cup with Colorado last year. The Grenoble-born defender, who was also a talented skier in his youth, previously had spells with Toulouse, Oldham, Rotherham, Notts County and Crewe.