da poker： Celtic have had a number of cult heroes over the years but one man who is remembered fondly at several clubs is Paolo Di Canio, and he has been reflecting on his time in Glasgow.
What did he say?
da bet vitoria： The Italian made a bold move to join the Bhoys from the prestigious AC Milan in 1996 and although he only spent a year in the green and white Hoops he looks back fondly on his time with the club.
Many players speak of the bond they have with Celtic supporters and the love of the crowd, and Di Canio was a player who often reciprocated that emotion and played with his heart on his sleeve – occasionally to his own detriment.
He finished the 1996/97 season as the Player of the Year, and in doing so carved his own legacy as a bit of an icon at Celtic Park. Some fans likely feel lucky to have seen the striker lead the line for Celtic.
It seems he feels the same way, speaking on talkSPORT’s breakfast show [18/03, 06:15 a.m.], he said:
“In some way, it’s obvious that I had a fantastic period there [at Celtic]. Once again only one year, but the relationship between me and the people was amazing. But, especially in a social life, day after day, not only talking about football because it was my first experience abroad.
“I didn’t speak one word in Scottish. In Italy, we have got 20 regions and 20 different languages. For me, it was difficult, but the people were amazing to me and my family to try and integrate ourselves into that community. That was a fantastic moment and period of my life.”
High-profile figures
Celtic have always had prestigious figures over the years, with the likes of Henrik Larsson and Roy Keane featuring for the club, but it seems to have subsided in recent times.
Moussa Dembele and Odsonne Edouard have become successes due to their goalscoring feats, but they lack the X-factor that those aforementioned players brought to their team.
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Perhaps that is why Celtic have struggled in Europe for so many years. They lack that extra bit of quality needed to compete with the top sides as they are used to brushing aside Scottish minnows. Their one league defeat this season suggests as much, and that was to Rangers.
Neil Lennon will be happy with his squad and what they’ve delivered, but fans likely yearn for the characters of yesteryear, and it would be great to see a top player back in Scottish football once again.
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