Tomas Cvancara will be eternally grateful to Celtic for helping him escape a nightmare situation on loan in Turkey.
Martin O’Neill hinted that Cvancara could start against Hearts on Sunday after the forward signed for the remainder of the season.
The 25-year-old has an option in his contract to sign permanently and Cvancara is ready to help fire the Hoops to the title.
It is a chance for the former Sparta Prague man to start afresh after spending the first half of the season on loan at Antalyaspor, where things away from the pitch affected what happened on it.
Should Tomas Cvancara start against Hearts this weekend?
Tomas Cvancara wasn’t paid for five months
Cvancara only managed to score two goals in 13 appearances during his spell at Antalyaspor, who have struggled in the Turkish top flight.
His form was nothing to write home about but context is key, and Cvancara detailed how an ongoing pay dispute meant that he received no payment for five months.
“It was a very difficult time,” said the forward.
“Obviously nobody expects, as you said, that they’re not going to pay me for five months. So, yeah, I also was in Turkey with different expectations.
“It didn’t work out, but the hunger which I had, even when I got to Turkey, it’s the same, and I want to prove myself.
“It was quite connected, the wages, which were not paid, and also the football side, because obviously everybody knows how it works in Turkey. So it’s not like you can still play football and they’re not going to pay you for five months. So it doesn’t work like that, obviously, in Turkey. So yeah, it was connected with football. So it’s influenced me a lot.”
Tomas Cvancara can finally focus on football
A Czech football expert believes that Cvancara isn’t a bad egg but the troubles he has faced since his move to Borussia Monchengladbach have somewhat stunted his career.
Yes, there are issues at Celtic, but none that can be controlled by the new signing.
Name three players you would sell in the current Celtic side
At Celtic, he knows that he is going to be the main man leading the line as part of his audition to earn a permanent move.
There are five months left of the season and those can be used to solely play football.
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