Youssouf Mulumbu’s first 90-minute outing in nine months couldn’t have gone any better for him.
The Congolese midfielder made the move to Kilmarnock on transfer deadline-day until the end of the season. It’s his second spell at Killie, after the Hoops picked him up for nothing at the start of the season as his contract there came to an end.
But yesterday, Mulumbu was again back in the fold for Killie against Rangers. He may have already officially made his second debut in a short cameo against Dundee last week. Last night, however, was his first full 90 minutes in months as he featured for the full duration of the Scottish Cup clash.
And it’s fair to say his display impressed fellow team-mates. Mulumbu took a photo on his Twitter to display a bottle of champagne he had been given by his Killie colleagues for the performance.
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Mulumbu’s massive chance
This is a topic many will have disagreements on. But can Mulumbu still be a success at Celtic? It’s looking unlikely, but he certainly has the composure and quality to add something different to the squad.
His loan spell at Rugby Park gives him the chance to express that to Brendan Rodgers once more. And yesterday was certainly a fine start for him.
Up against the likes of Ross McCrorie and Ryan Jack of Rangers – Mulumbu ran the show. The combative midfielder certainly didn’t shirk any of his individual battles, and showed terrific footwork for a player who hadn’t previously played a full 90 minutes since he last played for Killie.
Funnily enough, his performance was exactly what we could’ve done with at Ibrox from some of the players already at Celtic. That game is well in the rear view mirror now, but it shows he still could have something different to offer.
The loan deal will likely mean that Mulumbu can’t play against Celtic next Sunday. After that, however, the former West Brom and Norwich star needs to build on his Rangers display.
If he does build up an impressive portfolio of work over the next few months, then he could be in for a revival at Parkhead.