Celtic completed their transfer business last Friday with the late addition of Luke McCowan from Dundee in midfield.
The 26-year-old arrived as a boyhood fan and was noticeably chuffed when holding the green and white scarf above his head at Celtic Park, fulfilling a lifelong dream we are all a tad jealous of as supporters.
Unless some of you convince Brendan Rodgers of your footballing capabilities, we must live vicariously through McCowan and others. However, all jokes aside, it was a special moment when the Greenock-born man took to the field against Rangers.
Although his affiliation with Celtic is a nice touch, what matters most is his ability to contribute on the pitch. Yesterday, the former Dundee captain enjoyed an accomplished debut, showing some nice touches in the latter stages of the Bhoys’ triumph over their city rivals.
While supporters were out celebrating post-match, McCowan gave an insight into what was a busy few days involving his transfer to the reigning Scottish champions and his debut at the club.
Luke McCowan opens up on dream Celtic debut
Speaking to Sky Sports, McCowan admitted that he hasn’t had much sleep over the last few days, but he as enjoyed an ‘amazing’ few days culminating in the midfielder getting a first derby victory under his belt.
He explained, referencing his debut: “Amazing, the stuff of dreams, really; if you could tell me as a kid that I’m going to come on in a game of that magnitude, I wouldn’t have believed you. It’s an amazing achievement for me and my family, but more importantly, it’s three points for the team, and I can get time for recovery and stuff now; it’s amazing.”
The midfielder then continued about his whirlwind few days, stating: “(I’ve had) no sleep, I would say, but it was something I had to take in more than anything; everyone around me was telling me to take it in because it can pass quickly and before you know it it’s just hard work and a routine you’re in, it was hard.
“I had my whoop band on (electronic fitness tracker) telling me I wasn’t recovered well, but no, it was an amazing couple of days.”
Luke McCowan ready for life at Celtic
As fans, it is easy to forget how chaotic the life of a footballer can be, especially when it involves moving from one club to the next at the drop of a hat with little time to adapt.
McCowan has come straight into the squad and made his debut, having barely trained at Lennoxtown, is a testament to his character. He isn’t here to claim a place on the bench; the former Ayr United man wants to cement himself as a mainstay with slots up for grabs.
Throughout the season, expect the Scot to be an important part of Rodgers’ plans as the group becomes stretched due to involvement in domestic competitions and on the continent. Celtic isn’t just about finding good players. They rely heavily on recruiting players with the right mentality to succeed.
On first glance, McCowan appears to have all of these requisite qualities, with the added carrot of being a homegrown individual to help with registration rules for years to come.
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