Dunfermline boss James McPake admits he is thrilled to have landed Celtic kid Ewan Otoo on loan.
The 20-year-old Celtic B skipper joined the Pars on loan late on Friday and made an instant debut as a first-half substitute in Saturday’s stunning comeback 4-3 victory over Airdrie.
And McPake has revealed his friendship with Hoops youth coach Darren O’Dea was key to sealing a deal for the rest of the season.
He said: “I am very friendly with Darren, who is the Celtic B manager. Ewan was the Celtic B captain and I have tried to get him for the past month. We eventually got it over the line.
“He is a good player, a great kid, and he is not somebody that I don’t know. I didn’t know him personally but he played against my youth team [at Dundee] and I had watched him plenty.
“Obviously with the connection to Darren I had spoken to Darren and watched most of Celtic B’s games. We are delighted to get him in.”
Meanwhile, Ange Postecoglou insisted that he has not paid any attention to the “noise” of Leeds speculation after watching Celtic beat St Mirren 5-1 in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup at Parkhead.
The Hoops boss is rumoured to on the radar of the Elland Road club who last week parted company with Jesse Marsch amid a Premier League relegation battle.
Celtic eventually overcame a spirited Saints side with goals from Daizen Maeda, a Reo Hatate double – one from the penalty spot after Buddies defender Richard Taylor was sent off for handball – a first Hoops goal for Oh Hyeon-gyu and a Matt O’Riley strike.
Mark O’Hara scored a consolation goal for the visitors and afterwards, when asked what he would say to any Celtic fans who might be concerned, the Hoops boss referred to his usual way of dealing with speculation.
“I don’t think I need to say anything to them,” said Postecoglou, who revealed top scorer Kyogo Furuhashi will go for a scan on a shoulder injury after he was replaced by Liel Abada in the first half.
“I think what the supporters want is to make sure I’m focused on preparing the team every week to win games of football and to play football that’s going to excite them and make them proud. That’s my responsibility.
“I get the excitement round things like that. If I had a player in a similar boat I’d just tell him, ‘keep playing your football and don’t worry about anything else, all those kinds of things are just noise’.
“I take my own advice on stuff like that. I’ve been around the game long enough to know how quickly it changes.
“If anyone thinks for the last seven days I’ve thought about anything but preparing the team to play today then obviously they haven’t got a clear idea of what I’m about.”
