Sebastian Tounekti says he is “really pleased” with the guidance he has received from Celtic coaches Mark Fotheringham and Shaun Maloney, as his form begins to turn into tangible end product on the pitch.
The Tunisian winger has shown flashes of quality since arriving, but recent weeks have marked a clear upturn.
When Tounekti found the net against Auchinleck Talbot, his first instinct was to sprint towards the bench to celebrate with the coaching staff, a moment that underlined just how closely he has been working with them behind the scenes.
That relationship was again evident on Saturday as Celtic edged past Dundee in the Scottish Cup. Introduced from the bench, Tounekti produced his most decisive display yet, providing the assist for the dramatic equaliser before scoring the extra-time winner to send Celtic through. It was the kind of performance supporters have been waiting for and one that suggested a player growing in confidence and belief.
The interim coaching team have been working closely with the squad since taking charge, and the mood around Lennoxtown has noticeably lifted. There is a sense of clarity in roles and freedom in attacking areas, something Tounekti says has been key to his improvement.
“They have helped me a lot, especially in the training,” he said to the Herald. “We work a lot on the training ground to score goals and to make assists, to be in the right areas every time. Also, we look at a lot of videos, so they helped me a lot. I’m just really pleased to be around people like that.
“I feel like I have a lot of freedom when I have the ball. The manager wants me to attack, to go against players. I love that. I feel like the manager believes in me, so I just want to keep going and help the team.”
With confidence building and coaching support clearly resonating, Celtic will hope Tounekti’s recent impact is not a one-off, but the start of a run that could prove crucial in the decisive weeks ahead.
