Brendan Rodgers has discussed Luke McCowan’s series of impressive displays since joining Celtic in the summer, which led to a goal in his first start for the Bhoys against Motherwell last weekend.
After arriving at Parkhead for £1 million from Dundee, the Greenock-born midfielder has gone on to prove he is more than just someone living the dream at his boyhood club.
Following Luke McCowan’s first Celtic goal against Hearts, the 26-year-old has continued to make an impact off the bench for the Bhoys and was given his first chance in the starting line-up at Fir Park on Sunday.
Opening the scoring from the edge of the area, his performance against Motherwell provoked an outpour of positive fan reaction to McCowan as supporters are loving what he has brought to the table.
It goes without saying, but Brendan Rodgers is just as big an admirer of his talent, and he has offered his assessment of how the former Dundee captain is settling into life at Celtic.
Brendan Rodgers discusses Luke McCowan’s Celtic displays
Speaking in his pre-match press conference before Celtic take on Dundee tomorrow night in the Scottish Premiership, Rodgers admitted that McCowan has warranted more starts for the Bhoys amid his recent form and could be given another opportunity to stake his claim against his former club.
He explained: “No, he’s just done very well in the game. For all the players coming into the squad in the summer, it’s just step-by-step, finding the intensity in out training, finding out the way we play because it’s a very complex way in which we want the midfield players to operate.
“But he’s settled in very, very well. There’s he and other players that have deserved starts before, but the team has been doing well and working so well, but it was great he made that contribution. I think he came in and showed that energy, he showed that quality that he has, the work rate.
“As I said, he and a few of the other guys that have just come in are settling into that way of working and the set-up and the structure of the team. Yeah, he’s done very well and he’ll be in with an opportunity tomorrow again.”
Luke McCowan calm in the face of Celtic noise
Despite noise over his capabilities, McCowan has refused to get ahead of himself at Celtic and had vowed to handle the pressure of taking on the mantle of being a midfield creator.
He stated: “You need to go and graft away and put the hard work in, get myself fitter, get myself in the team and make impacts, not just run about and make a couple of passes.
“I kind of need to go and prove that I deserve a start and deserve to be playing and I think I’ve done well enough to do that. It’s about scoring goals and getting assists, so I need to try and do that. It’s about getting three points and doing that game by game, so that’s my kind of job.”
Adopting a brilliant stance, McCowan has the right attitude to keep on thriving at Celtic and make a place his own in the starting line-up. Tough competition remains for his place, but you get the impression he is loving every minute of the challenge.
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