New Celtic recruit Moritz Bauer has told fans what they can expect to see from him this season.
The Austrian right-back will spend the next nine months on loan from Stoke City after agreeing a deal late in the transfer window. Bauer was signed by Neil Lennon last Wednesday but didn’t have to wait long for his Hoops debut – coming on in the victory at Ibrox just four days later.
The 27-year-old had a largely uneventful half an hour in Govan but it was he who was crunched in an awful tackle from Jordan Jones that saw the Rangers winger sent off.
Bauer was operating in an attacking sense when the crude challenge came in, and he’s revealed to the official Celtic website that he hopes he can continue to be on the offensive this season.
“I’m a very attacking full-back and an energetic player who gets up and down the wing. My dynamics are pace and power. It depends on what the coach demands from the team, but as I am a defender, I obviously have to defend as well, but I like to get involved in the attack also. The fans can expect a very hard worker.
“It is pressure, of course, but I think there’s nothing better than playing for trophies, because that’s what it’s all about, as having a season target of finishing about eighth is not the same.
“I love being here and having the target of being first and I like that pressure. There are players here who have already won titles, and it’s a big opportunity for me to learn from them and grow as a player as I hope to be part of a successful team.”
Bauer has good competition at Celtic
Bauer certainly didn’t look out of place during Sunday’s derby. The Austrian looked like he could defend capably and stick to a gameplan. The nature of the game meant that we didn’t really get to see him in an attacking sense so it will be interesting to see if he can live up to his above quotes.
We now have what looks like really good competition at right-back with Bauer set to fight it out with Hatem Abd Elhamed and, to a lesser extent, Jeremie Frimpong.
Those three should give us enough cover in the problem position for the next season at least. We’ve gone from having a nightmare in the area to having what looks like three pretty solid options.
For that the recruitment department deserve credit. However, as always, the proof will be in the pudding of how they perform.
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