THE right wing has been an area of real strength and depth for Celtic for a good while now, with the dual threats of Patrick Roberts and James Forrest providing the creative spark from that flank between them last season.
Roberts, of course, has returned to Manchester City now, and his future remains unclear, but Forrest showed in a devastating hour in Dublin on Saturday just what a stunningly effective player he can be when he’s on his game.
For any player coming in then who plays on the right, there is no doubt that he would be faced with a daunting task. On the one hand, he will be compared to a £12 million player in the departed Roberts, and on the other, he will be faced with the prospect of shifting Forrest out of the team, a player that his team-mate Mikael Lustig described after Saturday’s demolition of Shamrock Rovers as one of the best wingers in Scotland.
Thankfully, Jonny Hayes is not a man who is easily intimidated, and after he netted is first goal for Celtic when replacing Forrest for the last half an hour at the Tallaght Stadium, he set his sights on forcing his way into the long-term plans of both his club and his country.
For now, he has his sights firmly set on helping Celtic reach the Champions League group stages in any way that he can.
But he knows that if he can establish himself at club level and play in top-level European competition, then becoming a mainstay for former Celtic manager Martin O’Neill’s Republic of Ireland team is likely to be a side-benefit.
“It is still a long way away Champions League football,” Hayes said. “Six tough games between now and getting there. We’re under no illusion how hard it is going to be to get there.
“But yeah, of course, it’s the best competition in the world. No doubt if I get into the team and play in that competition, it will help me going forward with the gaffer for Ireland. There are top quality players in the international team, the team is flying as well so it will be one hell of a job the way things are.
“There is competition. Robbie [Brady], Jeff [Hendrick] can play there, Aiden [McGeady], James [McLean] plays wide, Jonny Walters too.
“There are players in the Premier League who can play there and they’re ahead of me in the pecking order. It’s up to me to impress in training and do well for Celtic and see where that takes me.
“Only just being involved, even being in the squad and on the bench, it’s great that the lads are doing well, I’m glad we’re winning games and hopefully we can qualify and it would be special. I’m happy if the lads are winning.
“I think I’ve settled in very well [at Celtic]. I know how the manager wants us to play, obviously there is the added bonus of being with the international team over the summer keeps you on your toes, I didn’t have time to lose that sharpness.
“I only got three or four days off I think. I’d take it to be honest. Football is different now, it’s a modern game where players look after themselves. There are no more days of going to the pub after training, you’d be caught out fairly quickly if you did.
“You love going away with the international team. But in the back of your mind, you’re thinking that makes pre-season a little bit easier now. That’s the way I looked at it anyway.
“So, I was up and running again, fitness-wise you’re not going to lose much in just a few days off. I’m raring to go since I signed. Playing competitive games is the next step forward.”
A lot has been made of the effect that Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers can have on the career of his players, with Hayes’s rival for the right-wing berth Forrest one of those whose improvement is undeniable since the arrival of his new boss last summer.
Despite turning 30 yesterday, Hayes believes that he too can still move his game up a level by working with Rodgers, and he has thrown himself into meeting the demanding challenges that have been laid down to him now that he is a Celtic player.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here