‘I had no idea’; Shane Duffy blown away by response of Celtic fans to his signing

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Shane Duffy has attended his first press conference as a Celtic defender, facing a variety of Scottish media outlets at Celtic Park earlier today.

The Republic of Ireland captain has put a difficult week on international duty behind him and is now firmly focused on impressing at his beloved Bhoys.

A lot of subjects were covered with the new signing but first and foremost he looked to pay tribute to the club he’s supported for all his life and the supporters who have so warmly welcomed him into the fold.

As quoted by the official Celtic Twitter account, when asked about the response of fans, he said: “I had no idea that it’d be as big as it’s been so far. That’s incredible and I just can’t wait to get down to business now and do it on the pitch for them.

“To pull the jersey on is a really special moment for me. As a fan, you always think about whether or not you’ll have the chance to play for Celtic, and now it’s here for me. I’m delighted and the words can’t really explain how I feel.”

Duffy is also relishing the thought of working with manager Neil Lennon on the training ground and on matchdays, sharing that the former midfielder was one of his idols growing up.

The Brighton loanee said: “I’m delighted to have the chance to work with Neil Lennon, and I grew up watching him as a player and then a manager as a Celtic fan. To get the opportunity to work with him and play under him now is a special moment for me.”

After playing two matches back-to-back over the last week, he now has the chance to come straight into the Bhoys squad for Saturday’s trip to Ross County.

However, the manager may prefer to have him work his new teammates for a bit longer on the training ground.

Lennon hasn’t been one for throwing new signings into the fold prematurely.

Regardless, Duffy is likely to be a massive part of Celtic’s plans this season.

In his peak years and arriving from the Premier League, he should have the quality to shine in the Scottish Premiership, backing up his obvious passion for the club.

In other news, Patrick Roberts looks to be on the move again during this transfer window.