Josip Juranovic has described his “wonderful” and “strange” Celtic debut.
The Croatian international, who shone for his country against Russia this week, made his Bhoys bow against Rangers, in a 1-0 loss. On the day, Juranovic was playing at left-back. The absence of Greg Taylor and the form of Anthony Ralston required the ex-Legia Warsaw man to switch flanks.
In fairness, he did well. Getting up and down the pitch with ease, Juranovic showed flashes of what Celtic supporters can expect when he’s played in the right position.
Reflecting on the Derby, and comparing it to prior big-game experiences, Juranovic said [via Daily Record]:
“It’s a hard question which game is bigger, especially as it’s difficult to compare anything with Hajduk’s full Stadion Poljud.
“It was a wonderful feeling to play in a game between Celtic and Rangers though. The only thing that was strange to me was that I had to play as a left back.
“The manager wanted me to play there as he only had one young player left who was capable of playing that position due to injuries.
“I happily agreed with him because I wanted to make an impact in the derby. If there were no goalkeepers and he wanted me to play there, I would if I had to!”
Juranovic reflects on Celtic debut, says he would’ve played in goals
Sure, there have been some very decent goalkeepers on the shorter end of the scale. Iker Casillas, for example. Or Italian legend Dino Zoff, who was just below 5’10”.
However, at just 5’6″, Juranovic is probably lucky that he’s not likely to be handed Joe Hart’s gloves any time soon. Instead, he’s a full-back, and a very capable one at that.
Ange Postecoglou clearly has powers of persuasion, and a great influence on his players. After all, even the most lion-hearted players probably need a bit of convincing to make their debut out of position in a Glasgow Derby.
But Juranovic did, and it’s a good sign for the Celtic defender going forward.
While we didn’t get the win we sorely wanted, there were signs of encouragement. Kyogo threatened through the middle, while Ralston continued to make a positive impact. Meanwhile, Juranovic had a very solid debut.
Signed for a pittance by modern standards, the Croatia international obviously has the right attitude, and the credentials to be an excellent signing for Celtic.
Read more: “Just to win”
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