Ryan Christie has opened up the deciding factors behind his move from Celtic to Bournemouth as the former Hoops star made his English Premier League bow from the bench in the weekend win over Aston Villa.
Scott Parker's newly promoted side made the perfect start to life on their return to England's top division with a 2-0 win over former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard and his troops thanks to strikes from Jefferson Lerma and Kieffer Moore. Life in the top flight doesn't get any easier with a trip to champions Manchester City next up before games with Arsenal and Liverpool in an extremely difficult return to the top division.
Christie turned down the chance of a new deal at Celtic to test himself in England having spent his whole career to that point in Scotland. He also turned out for Aberdeen and Inverness Caley Thistle. After talks with Parker, he knew a move to the Cherries was what he wanted. Burnley and another club were keen on taking him directly to the EPL last term, but the attacker opted for the Championship.
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That decision has now been vindicated as the former Hoops star opened up on the reasons behind swapping Parkhead for the Vitality Stadium.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: "Oh, I heard some of the chat about me leaving Celtic, and some of the comments that were made.
"To be honest, I tended to ignore it. I heard about it more from family or my mates but I didn't bother reading or listening to it myself.
"For my career, I knew what I wanted to do. I had to leave Celtic for the sake of change and a new football challenge.
"And when I spoke early on to Scott Parker about moving to Bournemouth, everything about the move felt right.
"There was other interest in me at the time. Burnley and another club were interested in taking me straight into the Premier League, and that might have been an easier route for me.
"But I wanted to join a club where I would enjoy my football, and see plenty of the ball, and I really enjoyed our campaign last season in the Championship with Bournemouth.
"They have got a style of football at this club which suits me.
"The plan was always to play lots of football and enjoy my career, which I did last season, and get promoted. And we achieved that.
"When I look back, it feels like I made the right choice in coming to Bournemouth."
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