As first impressions go, Sebastian Tounekti has made a more than decent one with his new supporters. Such has the impact of the Tunisian been that many Celtic fans may rightly feel their team would still be competing in the Champions League this season had he arrived a week or two earlier.
The protests that have ensued over that matter, and the fact that the Scottish champions will instead travel to Belgrade on Europa League duty this week, has nothing to do with Tounekti. His sole focus now after grabbing his first goal in a Celtic jersey on Sunday is trained on ensuring that his team do themselves justice in this competition.
By that, he means going far beyond the league phase to the final knockings of the tournament.
“It is really important,” Tounekti said.
“We want to go as far as possible. We feel like we can do that, we feel like the team and squad is good, we feel like the Europa is really important and we want to go as far as possible.
“I think the secret is to be ourselves, to not change. If we meet Roma, or someone else, we just have to be ourselves. We have to play our style of football. Bodo [Tounekti’s former team] has shown it is possible to go far.
“We want to go as far as possible and for that we have to play our style and to develop and to play good games.
“I feel we have the chance to go really far. That’s the goal, we want to go as far as possible.
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“For that we have to develop, we have to be good and we have to stay focused. We are going to meet many good teams, it’s going to be difficult. But we want to go as far as possible. It’s no secret.
“I think everyone knows it’s a competition we want to be good in. It’s a big competition and we want to go as far as possible.
“We’re just looking forward to starting the campaign.”
They will do so against a team that those of a certain vintage will know as Red Star Belgrade, now going by the slightly less catchy FK Crvena Zvezda. They are living up to their famous name so far this term though, reeling off seven wins from seven to sit two points clear of rivals Partizan with a game in hand.
Tounekti is all too aware then that Celtic have landed a difficult tie first up, with the Serbians arguably a stronger outfit than Kairat Almaty, who dumped his teammates out of the Champions League.
“These Europa games are always tough,” he said.
“I’m really looking forward to it. I know it is a difficult place to go. But I feel like the team is in a good way, I feel like we develop every day, and I think we can do a nice game there.
“The most important thing is to go there and be us, to play our own game. We know it will be a difficult game, but we will give 100 percent.”
The reason that Celtic do travel to Serbia in more optimistic mood than they did to Kazakhstan a few weeks ago largely rests on the instant impact of Tounekti, who manager Brendan Rodgers described as being in the mould of the exciting Celtic wingers of old after he netted against Thistle at the weekend.
“It’s always nice to get your first goal,” he said.
“I think the first game was good, but my job is to contribute with goals and assists and it’s always nice to get started on that. So, I’m very pleased.
“[The manager] gives me a lot of freedom, just to do what I am doing. That is to help the team, to create chances and to create goals and to beat players. I am pleased with that. I just want to help the team as much as possible.
“But it’s been a big help from my team-mates and from the coaches. It’s been really good, they help me a lot.
“It’s been really easy to come into the group and to settle in. Especially the playing style, it’s really suiting me. I’m just enjoying it.”
Another reason for the lifting of the mood around Celtic is the fact they now have other strong options in the attacking areas alongside Tounekti.
The signing of Kelechi Iheanacho may have caused one or two grumbles among the support due simply to the unedifying sight of Celtic scrambling about for free agents once the transfer window had closed, but leaving the panicked circumstances of his acquisition to the side, there has been signs of some early promise that Rodgers can once again draw out the quality from the striker that he once did at Leicester City.
“We all know what Kelechi can bring,” Tounekti said.
“He has played in the top level for many years.
“We know when he starts to get his confidence back and everything he’ll be a top, top player for Celtic.
“I am really looking forward to seeing him more and to see him grow for the team. I think he will be a good player for Celtic this season.”
