Celtic striker Albian Ajeti hasn’t been near regular first-team football again this season, but the hunger shown from him against St Mirren didn’t go unnoticed by supporters.
Of course, playing a key role in goal number six definitely helped. He outmuscled a Saints defender before playing in Tom Rogic. He in turn threaded one to David Turnbull to seal his hattrick. But the goal came from Ajeti’s hunger to chase down what initially looked like a lost cause.
The striker also looked to get into some promising positions in the final third despite only being on for the last seven minutes. In recent weeks, Celtic fans have adored the tenacity of Kyogo Furuhashi in chasing down hopeless situations. Odsonne Edouard appeared to do similar against AZ Alkmaar too.
But against St Mirren yesterday, it was Ajeti who looked desperate to make an impression. Desperate to show that he can operate efficiently in an Ange Postecoglou team.
Granted, it was seven minutes. He has a long way to go before he can be considered a regular in the team. At the minute he’s third-choice, and it’ll take a while for that to change. But the signs yesterday were that the Swiss international is up for it.
Celtic striker Albian Ajeti looks ready to make his mark when given the chance
Postecoglou hasn’t been one to avoid giving opportunities to those who deserve it. If Ajeti continues to show that same aggression and determination in training, he’ll get more chances on the pitch.
Whilst many would’ve thought Ajeti would’ve been for the off, he’s under contract at Celtic for the long-term. Remember, he signed a four-year contract last summer. If there’s a tune to be got out of the striker, Postecoglou needs to try and find it.
Should Celtic qualify for the Europa League on Thursday night, our schedule is about to get hectic. We’ll need as many bodies as we can have available. And if Ajeti is prepared to put in the hard yards and put in the energy needed for a Postecoglou side, it can only be positive for us.
He already looked fitter and sharper yesterday than he did last season. Hopefully, that’s a promising sign with regards to the effort he’s putting in away from football. But time will tell just how prepared he truly is for the challenge ahead.
In any case, the supporters were definitely quick to notice the improved hunger from him yesterday. Hailing his performance on social media, here’s what some in the Hoops fanbase had to say:
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