Celtic Head Coach Pronounce To Sigin An Incredible Star Player Due To…
Paulo Bernardo rocketed into the Celtic limelight to set himself up perfectly for part two of the campaign. But, as far as Peter Grant is concerned, the quietly-achieving Portuguese has been impressing since he first started at Parkhead. Bernardo’s blistering burst prior to the mid-winter shutdown thrust him into the spotlight. Following a first-ever Celtic goal to set-up a win at Dundee, the 21-year-old’s sizzling Old Firm goal and sparkling performance pushed him to full prominence.
Bernardo backed it up with a couple of excellent assists in the win over St Mirren to ensure the champions took their eight-point lead at the top of the table into the current period of Premiership hibernation. The on-loan Benfica kid grasped his big chance and, with Reo Hatate at the Asian Cup, is primed to pick up where he left off starting against Buckie Thistle on Sunday. Grant had no doubts over Bernardo even before the big burst having eyed his earlier displays.
The Centenary Double winner at Parkhead explained: “Bernardo was going about his business quite quietly, but because you are an ex-midfielder and looking at the game as a coach checking for strengths and weaknesses, I was really impressed when watching. You see a game differently when watching a player in a position you used to play yourself, so I’d be thinking: How do Celtic want him to play? How’s he going to press? What are they looking at for that position on that day?
“I thought he picked up really good areas on the pitch, he was intercepting things well and his use of the ball was good. He was one of these guys that when the opposition had the ball, people talk about pressing now, he knew the distances were right to go and put opponents under pressure. He was forcing people into making errors and that’s a skill a lot of people don’t rate or realise.
“Small things that don’t get noticed that are so important I rarely saw him give the ball away. The first time playing alongside Callum McGregor and Matt O’Riley, they interchanged positions and he understood that. People think that is easy, but it’s not and there seemed a good balance and who would be where. For a young man, I saw a good understanding.
