Ryan Christie is over six months removed from Celtic at this point and has been plying his trade down south with Bournemouth.
The midfielder went from fringe player to first team starter during his time at Celtic. Much of his growth coming under Brendan Rodgers before Neil Lennon took over.
Ryan left Celtic in the summer, the Hoops getting a fee for the player despite only having six months left on his deal.
He was part of the squad who capitulated on a major scale last season when football wasn’t really football.
There will be a lot said and written about that season from people who lived it over the next ten years but Ryan has given some insight into life behind the scenes. More specifically, THAT post-match press conference from Neil Lennon after being dumped out of the Champions League by Ferencvaros.
The manager cut a scathing toreador against the players saying a lot of them had had their heads turned.
Speaking to Football Scotland, Christie said: “It was tough because, number one, I don’t think anyone had stated they were absolutely desperate to leave at that point.
“A few people had maybe had offers in like Premier League or elsewhere that was promising for them.
“It was so early in the season where it’s a bit different for Celtic when you have such important games at the start of the season that it means you have to be focussed straight away.
“That’s when the transfer market takes over a little bit at the start of the season.
“Did it have to be said? I’m not so sure. I think everyone was desperate to get a result.
“Everyone in our squad was firing on all cylinders to try and get through.
“Had we got into the Champions League that season I’m sure that would have steadied some players’ heads about leaving because that’s an attraction itself.
“People probably look back at those comments now and think, ‘That’s where it started going wrong so early’ but we took it as a minor blip, it was frustrating but it was still early and in our minds we were still thinking we’ll go on to have a successful season.”
It was the beginning of the end for Neil Lennon who got more and more desperate. He failed to motivate his team and most definitely lost the dressing room.
Since then; the former manager has gone on the offensive and blamed just about anything else other than his own involvement.
