Beram Kayal feels that he is back towards his best after a year where his career failed to develop.
The midfielder started 2012 in crutches following a challenge from Lee McCulloch and only managed a 10 minute appearance in the final SPL match of the season against Hearts.
Victor Wanyama’s emergence has increased the competition for places in the Celtic midfield but with four trophies to be played for in the new year a fully fit Kayal will be a great asset for Neil Lennon.
“I’m enjoying every moment now, I feel 100-per-cent fit and I’m training well,” he admitted after Saturday’s impressive display against St Mirren.
“Some games I’m starting, some I’m not. When the gaffer picks me, I try to do the maximum for the team. When you have been injured and you come back, you are hungry to play.
“Even if I don’t play in some games, I’m enjoying training again every day. It is giving me more confidence to come in and prove myself.
“I am trying to do everything I can to help the team do well in Europe and in every other competition. I’m also trying to get myself back to enjoying the game 100 per cent again.”
Kayal added: “It is not easy to be out injured for so long, especially when you come here from another country.
“You come here to do a job but you can’t do it because you are injured. It is bad luck to be out for six months like I was.
“It is not easy to come back into the biggest team in Scotland and try to play at the highest level when the team is already winning.
“We are in a good position now, four points clear with a game in hand. It is possible we can have a big advantage at the top of the SPL by the time the next Champions League game comes around.
“We try to do the maximum in the league, but it’s not easy to play in four competitions, we have a big squad and we will try to do the maximum in the SPL now, because we know it is important for us if we want to be in the Champions League again next season.”
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It’s good to see Kayal getting back to his best. As for Mr McColloch’s “tackle”, let’s just say that I’m glad he’s three divisions away from our players. Our impartial referees are never going to protect our players properly.
And as for Saturday’s ref, doesn’t he know that he should decide on every incident in a game on it’s own merits? He can’t decide to not give us three penalties just because we looked like we were winning comfortably at the time. Well not legally, anyway. Don’t these refs ever get embarrassed?
Good to see Beram back to his best. Remember he was being linked with Man Utd in his first season so when Vic probably goes in the summer we have a good replacement waiting!