Kelechi Iheanacho’s Determination to Contribute to Celtic’s Title Hopes
Kelechi Iheanacho, the Nigerian international, is showing great determination to stay fit and play a crucial role in Celtic’s bid for the league title. The 29-year-old has faced several injury challenges since joining the Parkhead club on a free transfer at the end of last summer’s transfer window. However, his recent performance against Dundee has given fans hope that he could be a key player in the final weeks of the season.
Iheanacho came off the bench in the match against Dundee and scored a vital late winner, securing a 2-1 victory for Celtic. This win was crucial for the team as they kept their Premiership title hopes alive, narrowing the gap to just three points behind leaders Hearts with six games remaining. His goal was a well-timed finish, and he expressed confidence that he could still play a pivotal role in the run-in for the reigning champions.
“I felt good to get the win for the team,” Iheanacho said. “Collectively, we really worked hard, especially in the first half, to get the win. So it feels good. Hopefully there are many more points to come.”
He also emphasized his belief in his fitness, stating, “Yeah, I’m sure I’m fit to start games. Obviously, it’s up to the manager to pick who he wants to start the games. But I’m really sure I’m perfectly okay to start games.”
Injuries have been a tough challenge for Iheanacho, and he admitted that it can be difficult when not being able to contribute on the pitch. “When you’re injured as a player, it’s obviously really difficult. Sometimes you could put your head down and all that. Obviously, you still support your team, but it’s really sad sometimes not getting on the pitch, contributing to the club that signed you. So it’s really sad sometimes. But you just need to keep going and work hard to get your rehab done and get ready to come back stronger to help the team.”
Iheanacho added that the team has a strong squad, with several players returning from injury. “Yeah, I feel like I can do that now. Almost everyone is fit. We’ve got players coming back as well, so we’ve got a good squad to achieve that at the end of the season. We just need to take it one game at a time and hopefully it will fall for us.”
Manager Martin O’Neill acknowledged the importance of the victory, noting that a slip-up at Dundee would have made the title race extremely difficult. Iheanacho’s late goal, combined with an earlier strike from Yang Hyun-jun, secured a deserved win for the team.
The performance was a marked improvement, particularly in the first half. Iheanacho highlighted the significance of the win, saying, “It was really massive for the team, where we are in the table, close to the top, so it’s massive. It would have been scary to drop points because it would have been hard for the rest of the season. It was a great finish so I’m happy.”
He continued, “It’s massive. We need to keep winning to get to the end. Obviously, it’s not been great for the past few weeks but I think we showed character, discipline and togetherness to win the game. So it’s important. The manager has been good to everyone at the club. His management is really good, he speaks to everyone really well. Speaking with him gives me so much confidence to play in the game as well. So it’s really good.”
Iheanacho, who signed a one-year deal after arriving last summer, is out of contract at the end of the season. However, he insists that discussions about his future will only take place after the campaign concludes. “I think in terms of that, we’re focusing now on the games going forward. Anything that concerns the contract will be maybe after the season, after we achieve our goals.”
