Former Celtic favourite Joe Miller is chuffed that Nicolas Kuhn is finally up and running in Glasgow, with the German winger arguably the Hoops’ Player of the Season so far.
Kuhn, 24, arrived at Celtic Park in a £3million deal from Rapid Vienna back in January, but in his first six months in Glasgow’s east end was only able to show glimpses of his ability as Brendan Rodgers‘ men eventually coasted to a third consecutive Premiership title. However, the former Bayern Munich youngster was then able to get a full pre-season under his belt and has subsequently started the campaign like a house on fire with six goals and eight assists in his first 11 matches in all competitions.
Miller – who lifted the league title and two Scottish Cups in his six seasons at Parkhead between 1987 and 1993 – reckons that Kuhn can raise his game even further. Speaking to PLZ Soccer, he said: “I think every player that goes to Celtic can feel the pressure of playing in that atmosphere where 60,000 watching you. But I think Kuhn has settled in and is starting to go at players, take people on and create chances.
“He is nipping in with a few goals himself so he can only get better and better and long may it continue. But on the other side of things you have the old head James Forrest who can still come on and contribute something. So I think we are well covered in that aspect.”
Elsewhere, ex-Celtic star Matt O’Riley is closing in on a return to fitness after his debut for English Premier League club Brighton ended in disaster. Just days after sealing a £25million transfer, the Denmark international was handed his first start in a Carabao Cup tie against Crawley Town on August 27.
However, his debut was ended after just eight minutes when he suffered an ankle injury after being on the end of a harsh tackle by opposition player Jay Williams. It was feared that the 23-year-old could be out for up to three months, but the Seagulls have now been handed a major boost after O’Riley featured in a training video on the club’s social media channels taking part in some ball drills.
Elsewhere, further down the English football pyramid, former Hoops goal hero Gary Hooper has signed for minnows Kettering Town in the Southern Premier Division Central league. The well travelled 36-year-old – who scored an impressive 82 goals in 138 games for Celtic – last played for National League side Barnet after spending five years way from England with Wellington Phoenix in Australia, Indian Super League side Kerala Blasters, Gulf United in the Middle East and Cypriot outfit AC Omonia, where he was reunited with his former Hoops boss Neil Lennon.
Hooper has scored 255 goals in 640 club matches during his career, and was on the verge of winning international recognition for England during his time at Celtic only to miss out on a call-up through injury in November 2012. The striker will be hoping to help Kettering get back up to the National League North having suffered relegation at the end of the 2022/23 season.
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