Celtic striker Patryk Klimala has stated that he expected more game-time last week, but that he can’t fault Neil Lennon for sticking with Odsonne Edouard.
The Hoops opened their campaign up in powerful style against Hamilton Accies last weekend. A 5-1 mauling of Brian Rice’s side was as impressive as it could get from a Celtic perspective. Edouard was the star of the show too with a hat-trick before the match even struck the hour mark.
Klimala was still given some minutes of course. With the score at 4-1, the Polish forward came on with just four minutes to go. Impressively, it didn’t stop him from sneaking onto the scoresheet. A fine run and quick finish beyond Ryan Fulton put the icing on the cake last weekend.
And speaking in comments published by the Scotsman, Klimala touched on last week as well as the pat on the back he received from Lennon.
“I waited for my chance last week. I thought I would play more but Odsonne scored three, and if I could score three I would want to stay on the pitch – I am calm and waited for a long time in the league.
“After the game the manager told me good job, well done. It is only one goal, it’s not 28 goals. I have only played eight minutes [with added time, this season] and I think it’s a little job. It’s nothing special.”
Klimala’s modest mind will do him well
It would be easy for a striker in Klimala’s position to get a little bit over-eager to push the impression he makes on the pitch. Other strikers would be singing from the rooftops about the impact he made when coming on last week in a bid to get more game-time.
Yet, that doesn’t seem to be Klimala’s style. He appears ready to move on from the Hamilton goal more than anyone. As he says, it’s one goal and only his first in competitive action for the Hoops. Should he net today against Kilmarnock on the Rugby Park astro? Well, that would give the Celtic manager something further to think about.
However, you can look at it from another perspective and say that it isn’t just one goal now for Klimala, it’s four. He bagged against Nice before getting a brace against Hibernian in pre-season friendlies. Sure, those matches are all about getting your fitness up, but they’re also about impressing the manager. Klimala did just that.
There’s a feeling of banging your head against a brick wall when it comes to the Polish striker’s predicament though. He won’t ever displace Edouard in the pecking order given the Frenchman’s quality. So, in that respect, so long as Edouard remains at Parkhead, it’s within reason to say Klimala won’t ever be our number one striker. There’s arguably a glass ceiling there.
But where there’s now an opportunity for him is to make himself Lennon’s first reserve. Whenever the manager wants to switch to two up top or needs to replace Eddy for whatever reason, Klimala is in the process of shooting himself into that position.
He’s in a good place. Lennon likes him, the Celtic support is warming to him, and he’s showing that he knows where the net is. Hopefully, he continues his hot-streak in Ayrshire this afternoon.
In other news, Edouard has been bigged up by Kilmarnock’s Stuart Findlay in the run-up to today’s match.
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