LEWIS MORGAN is hoping he has given manager Neil Lennon food for thought after his standout display against Stade Rennais at Celtic Park in yesterday’s friendly.
Morgan followed up an impressive cameo off the bench in Tuesday night’s win over FK Sarajevo in Champions League qualifying with another eye-catching run-out against the French visitors as he looks to make the most of being back with the club following his loan spell at Sunderland.
And after working hard to catch his boss’s eye in training, he hopes he is also finally showing the Celtic fans what he is all about for the first time since his move from St Mirren in
“Obviously it’s good to be back here after being away for six months on loan,” Morgan said.
“To come back and play in an arena like this was something I was itching to do, and I really enjoyed it.
“Every day is an opportunity for me, whether it is training or games.These are the moments you look forward to, coming back to play at Celtic Park, and hopefully I did well enough to put myself in the manager’s thoughts.
“He has said to me that he knows what type of player I am, and he wants me to be direct and get fans off their seats. So, it’s been great for a winger.
“The wingers have been doing great and there is tough competitions for places, but I’m really enjoying it.
“The ball is always in my court. Every day in training I’ve got to be at it, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of pre-season and I enjoyed that today as well.”
Morgan says that he didn’t feel any trepidation in returning to Celtic in the summer with a different manager in place to the one who farmed him out to Jack Ross’s Black Cats for the second half of the last campaign, and instead say it as an opportunity.
Although Brendan Rodgers brought him to the club before sending him back to St Mirren initially and then onto Sunderland, Neil Lennon has made a point of making him feel at home at Celtic, and has given him the belief to express himself on the pitch.
“I was looking at it as a clean slate for me,” he said.
“Last season at the club it didn’t go as well as I wanted it to, I was out on loan, but hopefully I’ve taken what I learned down there back here.
“I’m really excited for this season and it’s up to me to make sure I’m putting in performances and giving the manager decisions to make.
“Every day as a footballer is a time to develop. Although the end of last season didn’t go how I wanted it to, I’m always trying to learn and develop, I’m always trying to get better and I’m striving to make my mark here.”
Having impressed throughout pre-season to this point, Morgan is hoping to have done enough to persuade his manager to keep him around for this season rather than sending him out on loan once more.
He knows he faces a huge fight to get into the team on a regular basis given the form of James Forrest in his right-wing position, but he is prepared to give it his all to oust his Scotland teammate.
“Listen, the squad is big here, but the manager has given me a chance today and it’s up to myself to try and get into his thoughts,” he said.
“I’ve been working hard every day and I was delighted to get the opportunity today, and hopefully I took that chance.”
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