Confident Sead Haksabanovic reckons Celtic can pull off a perfect 10 this season as he declared himself ready to rock against Rangers and Real Madrid.
The Hoops new boy was blown away by Ange Postecoglou ’s side’s 9-0 demolition of Dundee United on Sunday and he can’t wait to be part of the Parkhead attack force. Haksabanovic – who checked in last week in a £2m from Rubin Kazan – is getting up to speed after missing pre-season due to his contract being frozen amid the Russia war with Ukraine.
But he’s straining at the leash after lapping up the Tannadice trouncing as Celtic gear up for Ross County in the Premier Sports Cup, the Old Firm clash and the mouthwatering Champions League showdown with Real next week. Haksabanovic said: “I am ready. Now it is just up to the manager and when he wants me to play. Yeah, I’m ready. I’m good to go. It’s up to the coach but it’s going to take time for me to adjust to the system and the players. We will see.
“I am very excited because it’s the way I want to play. When I saw them play, I felt like ‘I want to be there, I want to make something happen’. They looked very sharp and I know it’s going to be hard to take a place in the team but that’s only good for me. Could there be 10 goals in a game? I think so, yes.”
Haksabanovic admitted he has his work cut out to break in to the high flying Hoops starting line up but he’s vowed to get fans off their seats when he gets the chance.
He said: “I am just going to be a hard-working player. I am going to do everything I can for the team. I think I am going to be making the fans stand up sometimes with some good dribbling, some good actions and hopefully some points as well. I have never been in a team that always attack and always have the ball. “Hopefully it brings out the best in me.
“I’ve seen games before I came here and I thought: ‘I want to play that way.’ I haven’t seen a full game but I’ve seen videos of it and stuff and what to expect is a great atmosphere and as a Celtic player now I’m only thinking about what we can do in the game. We are going to do everything to win.”
Haksabanovic insisted Celtic won’t look past Ross County tomorrow night but he knows Glasgow will grind to a halt this weekend as the Old Firm collide for the first time this season.
The Montenegro international said: “I haven’t seen a full derby game but I’ve seen videos of it and stuff and what to expect is a great atmosphere and as a Celtic player now I’m only thinking about what we can do in the game. I would say the craziest atmosphere I have ever experienced was when I was on the bench for West Ham against Spurs for the London derby.
"I have played in derbies IN Stockholm. There were around 48,000 fans in the stands. It was good. In Sweden you have a lot of fans. But I don’t think it is the same as here.”
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