Efrain Juarez won’t be remembered as a Celtic legend, or even a Celtic icon.
I don’t say that disrespectfully, more to remind you that the former Mexican international only ever made 20 appearances for the club. That was it. Yet, he’s a name that everyone remembers and there will always be something of an affinity for him from the Hoops support.
The feeling is mutual.
Juarez still maintains that his time at Celtic was some of the happiest of his whole career.
Speaking exclusively to the 67 Hail Hail YouTube channel recently, he still tells everyone about pulling on the famous green and white hoops.
Juarez said: “When anyone – friends, family, my wife – ask me when or where I was really happy, I say Celtic. When I arrived there, the people, the supporters, how they showed love and support for me and the club.
“The beginning of when I started to play there was really good. I scored goals in two or three games in a row, everything was really amazing.
“I think it was the best six months of my career. Everything was in a good way, I was in a new experience, I was playing in the best stadium and one of the best atmospheres in the world.”
So what went wrong? Juarez’s love affair with Celtic didn’t last long. He remained part of Neil Lennon’s plans throughout the 2010/11 season but played his last game that May in a 4-0 win over Motherwell.
Asked why it didn’t work out at Celtic, Juarez explained: “In the first six months I played a lot. After that, I was in and out of the team all the time until the end of the season. In my mind, I thought I could be better.
“I was a little bit sad because I had all the energy to give to the team. But in that period too many different things happened to me – in Mexico with the national team, a couple of injuries in training – I couldn’t get the consistency to play every weekend.”
Juarez still has affectionate memories of working under Neil Lennon and the direct nature of his management style, speaking fondly of the former boss in the interview with my colleague Hamish Carton.
Now a coach in Major League Soccer after retirement, the 33-year-old also has experience of working with another former Celtic manager – Ronny Deila.
Juarez is one of Deila’s assistant coaches at New York City FC and, actually, he credits the Celtic experience in forging a relationship with the Norwegian.
He explained: “Ronny came to Celtic two or three years after I left but when I talk about Celtic it’s in my heart. If it was not for Celtic I would not even be here because I wouldn’t have had that connection with Ronny.
“I met him in Cancun, he was managing Valarenga, I had a contract with Vancouver. I thought I would stay there for two or three years but Ronny called me and asked what my situation was. He asked me to play as a right-back and asked if I was able to come.
“I figured it out and two weeks later I was in Oslo with him and he was my manager. We became so close as friends. I think he’s a really good manager and a really good human being.
“I know he has a massive love for Celtic. It’s something we share. We will share it all our life.”
That the two would be so close and so admired by the Celtic support is likely no coincidence. Together at New York City FC, forged by the adoration of the Hoops fans!
Juarez expands on all these topics in the full video interview with 67 Hail Hail, speaking for 40 minutes on his playing career, coaching career and Celtic.
It’s well worth checking out.
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