Adam Idah insists he’s up for the fight with Kyogo to be Celtic’s main man – but the pair will still be Parkhead pals.
Republic of Ireland hitman Idah blasted a quick-fire double in Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup win against Falkirk on the back of his Champions League goal in the 5-1 battering of Slovan Bratislava. The £9.5m signing is scrapping it out with rival Kyogo to lead the line and he insisted Celts will be the winners from the friendly fire.
Idah said: “Look, I’ve got a job to do and that is to score goals, whether I start or I’m on the bench it doesn’t really matter in my head. I want to score as many goals as I can this season, just like Kyogo. He’s an unbelievable player, and I don’t think it matters to him whether he’s starting or on the bench, we both have the same aim and that is to score goals and help this team. I think we’ve got off to a pretty good start this season.
“Do I think that we bring the best out in each other? Yeah, definitely. It’s friendly competition. It’s the same in training, we’re always working hard and there is no bitterness between us. We’re friendly with each other and he helps me just like I help him. It’s great, he’s a good player to look up to, a good role model, and I can learn a few things from him on the pitch too.”
Idah is up and running after making his loan move permanent in the summer but he admitted he’s still not fully up to speed. The frontman’s pre-season was disrupted with limited game time as Celtic negotiated their record deal with Norwich.
Idah admitted the Lennoxtown training regime is at a higher level than the Canaries – but he’s almost firing on all cylinders. He said: “Yeah, 100 percent. Look, I didn’t do much in pre-season.
“Before anyone jumps on that, that wasn’t me chucking it or anything, it was just how we trained down at Norwich. Obviously it’s not as intense down there as it is here, we’re at big clubs and we want to be on it.
“So yeah, when I first came I was probably a week behind, and now I’m getting the minutes in I’m starting to get goals. I feel good now, and I’m probably not far behind. I just need to keep sticking with it and I’ll get there.”
Idah admitted Celts got a right against Falkirk at the weekend as the Championship hopefuls threatened to ruin Rodgers’s side’s perfect start to the campaign. The Hoops boss admitted the eight changes to his starting line up was a mistake but it was a lesson to the squad they won’t get it all their own way this season.
Idah said: “Yeah, definitely. There’s obviously a lot of new boys and it’s the first time I’ve experienced this as well, so it’s definitely a learning curve. The game against Falkirk would have helped massively. We can look back and see the mistakes that we made.
“We know not to get too arrogant I suppose to go into a game thinking we are going to win it. No, it is a team’s cup final against us, and we need to show why we are the best team. We’re very hungry.
“The aim at the start of the season is obviously to be as successful as we can, and this is another step in the right direction. Hopefully we can push towards that.”
Meanwhile Celts are hopeful Cameron Carter-Vickers will be fit to face Borussia Dortmund next Tuesday. The centre back sat out Sunday’s win and is managing a metatarsal problem. The US ace is expected to sit out this weekend’s jaunt to St Johnstone but full back Alistair Johnstone is set to return after missing out at the weekend following a back issue.