Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that summer signing Giorgios Giakoumakis is back in contention for selection, and he is ready to give the Greek striker the opportunities to impress.
Unlikely several of the 56-year old’s summer signings, it has been far from the ideal start for the former VVV-Venlo striker who currently has just one goal in the Green and White.
Already, in his early days at Parkhead, the 26-year old has suffered from injury issues, causing him to be out of action for several months and also had a disrupted pre-season period after joining on deadline day.
However, Giakoumakis is now set to make a return after the winter break, and Postecoglou confirmed he would be given the chance to showcase his worth in this Celtic side, with the hope that he can play a crucial part in the second half of the campaign.
“Giorgios is back in,” he said, as quoted by the Herald.
“He’s done all the rehab. We gave most players the week off, but him and a couple of others worked right through, and he’s all good to go.
“He’s one of three or four who probably didn’t have an ideal start. He came in late and had several challenges, not doing pre-season and the season already up and running when he arrived.
“He had a couple of injury setbacks, and there’s been a whole range of things. So, we did have to be a bit patient with him.
“They weren’t all going to hit the ground running in terms of an immediate impact. Two or three of the signings were quick off the blocks. But others needed a bit of time.
“Hopefully, now Giorgios is ready to go again. He’s trained really well, and he’ll get an opportunity in the games ahead to show what he’s all about. But all the players are important.”
With the injury issues that Kyogo Furuhashi has already suffered throughout this season and the possibility that both he and new addition Daizen Maeda could be headed off on international duty, Giakoumakis could have a bigger role to play sooner than we thought.
As Postecoglou mentions, the vast majority of players within the squad are going to have a significant role to play in the Hoops title push in the second half of the season.
Hopefully, since recovering from his injury and spending more time on the Lennoxtown training ground during the winter break, this can be the point that last seasons Eredivisie top scorer can kick on at Celtic Park.
