Gary Hooper can’t wait to find out which of the mega-clubs he’ll be playing against in the Champions League.
The Essex bhoy has completed a remarkable six year journey from the blood and thunder of non-league Grays Athletic to speculating about who he’d like to be meet in today’s Champions League draw.
Hooper will be tuned in to his television at tea-time tonight with the satisfaction of scoring the all important opening goal against Helsingborg that soothed Celtic’s passage into today’s draw.
“The draw is going to be massive because there are so many big teams in there but if we get them to Celtic Park, we can show them our game.
“I think any team can get nervous and, tonight our fans were amazing all night. They got us over the line. I’ll take any big name in the draw.
“The best players in the world are in there, we want to play them away and bring them back to Celtic Park.
“I’ve gone from non-league to Champions League in six years. I don’t know what you can say about that except I’m pretty happy. I’m still taking it all in.
“To be sitting down watching TV and seeing the groups being drawn, that’s when it will hit us all.”
Hooper instinctively tucked away a pass from Georgios Samaras on the half hourmark as the Swedes claimed for offside.
It was a typical goal from an instinctive striker who doesn’t care about how the ball ends up in the back of the net.
Hooper admitted: “It’s the most important goal I’ve ever scored — and I nearly missed it as well!
“It came off my heel, I was stretching for it, but it went in off the post. I thought I was offside as well, but I wasn’t. If you look at it that way, it’s a £20m goal.
“The main thing was keeping a clean sheet, we did that tonight. Two clean sheets in two Champions League play-off games is hard to do, and it shows we deserve to go through.
“We have done it in a bit of style. You can’t ask for much more than a 4-0 aggregate win.”
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WHOO HOO!
there goes another rangers lie. we wont get past qualify rounds.lol hail hail
ps…. bye bye broadfoot 🙂
Having a party in the Champions League!
Back where we belong and playing the Glasgow Celtic way.
Glaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasgooooooows Green and White!
When you look at Hoopers rise its truly meteoric.
Gary’s form is starting to return now.