GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 22: Brendan Rodgers, Manager of Celtic, acknowledges the fans after the Premier Sports Cup Quarter Final between Celtic and Falkirk at Celtic Park on September 22, 2024 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Celtic fans are now reaping the rewards of waiting for Nicolas Kuhn to make the desired impact in green and white after joining from Rapid Vienna in January.
Brought in as a £3.5 million signing, the German winger suffered some early difficulties amplified by dental surgery that caused him to lose significant weight.
In fairness, Kuhn battled back to play a part in the Bhoys’ domestic double triumph, but he has really shown his class this season with 11 goal contributions in eight competitive appearances.
Earning star man in the latest SPFL Team of the Week for his two goals and two assists at home to Falkirk, the 24-year-old is illustrating what showing a little bit of faith can do to new recruits’ confidence, which is something that should be applied across the board [SPFL].
Ultimately, there is always going to be a demand for anyone coming in to succeed; this is Celtic, after all. However, patience is a virtue in football, and it makes sense to offer some leeway to fresh arrivals.
Celtic and patience needed with new signings and peripheral men
Some new signings get off to a flyer, be it with a debut goal or a composed performance in their first outing, whereas others take a little longer to adapt to their new surroundings.
Last weekend, Alex Valle and Auston Trusty gained their first starts for Celtic against Falkirk in the Premier Sports Cup. Overall, both showed some positive signs mixed in with areas for improvement, but it is hard to judge either fully based on the fact they were thrown into a much-changed line-up.
Brendan Rodgers acknowledged this post-match and believes the pair will benefit from their outing, stating something similar concerning fringe players involved.
The Irishman is correct on both counts when evaluating the situation. Making a concrete conclusion about any player who hasn’t had a decent amount of exposure to a multi-layer tactical framework would be harsh, especially in the context of Celtic’s improvement this term compared to last.
Kuhn embodies that in many ways. Having enjoyed a full pre-season working under Rodgers perfecting his work, his reward is crystallised in recent displays on the pitch.
Although it appears as though he’s just hit a golden patch of form, his rejuvenation on the right has been born out of hard work put on the training field.
With new signings and fringe stars learning more every day at Lennoxtown, let the manager work his magic in getting an extra 10% out of the others. It may take patience, but the results will be there for all to see in the end.
