DERK BOERRIGTER is planning to seek showdown talks unless he is restored to Celtic’s starting line-up. The Dutch winger has made 21 appearances since his £3million switch from Ajax last summer. However, Boerrigter has started just four league games in an injury-hit campaign. His latest cameo display was a four-minute run-out in Friday’s 3-0 win at Kilmarnock. And the 27-year-old, now close to full fitness, said he is unhappy with his fringe role for Neil Lennon’s side. Boerrigter said: “Celtic’s current tactics don’t work to my advantage. “The manager has asked me if I can eventually play on the left side of midfield in a Gareth Bale-type role and I like the sound of that. In recent weeks the team has been winning virtually every time and I have been a regular substitute. “But it is my intention to get into the starting line-up in the foreseeable future. If that doesn’t happen I will have to go and knock on the manager’s door and we will need to talk. “I have not come over here to sit on the bench. When I made my debut everyone, including the manager, raved about me. Sadly I’ve not got to play many games. I don’t agree with those who say I am not cut out for the physical football they play over here. “I spent three years in the Dutch second division and that demands other skills beside technical and tactical ability. “I can draw confidence from having played in the Champions League. No manager would pick a player to face AC Milan or Barcelona if he didn’t believe in him. “It has been bitter for me to have my season overshadowed by my ankle injury. But once I am fully fit and back to my old level I know for sure that I can play an important role for Celtic. “Remaining unbeaten this season would be a matter of prestige above all but they put a lot of worth on statistics and records in Scotland. “We could still set a new best-ever tally if we don’t drop any more points. But even though things may look easy for us, that is really not the case.” Boerrigter also admitted he has found the frenetic pace of the Scottish Premiership a culture shock. He added: “Nobody gives Celtic any gifts. Every single opponent in the Scottish league plays against us with foam coming from their mouths. “The tackles players make over here are much tougher than the ones you get in the Eredivisie. Refs let far more go in British football. “Matches in Scotland are less well balanced than those back home. At Ajax I could calmly pass the ball around at times. But when I receive it here I have to get the action going. People expect you to go forward all the time and to keep going for 90 minutes. “Celtic’s training sessions are very tough, even on the eve of matches. I have had to get used to the intensity. “Unfortunately it hasn’t gone as I had hoped. I have been suffering with my left ankle for the past half year, as a consequence of an injury I got while with Ajax. It’s now a matter of getting fully fit once again.” HH -PP-
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 08:23:08 +0000
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