Christie, Ryan

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He was moved on loan to Aberdeen in Jan 2017, which will have humoured many as he once described Aberdeen as “sheep s*****g c***s” in a social media tweet previously.

In his loan to Aberdeen, he created a sensation scoring a goal v Motherwell that can only be described as world class. The goal actually became one of the most talked about goals in the footballing world, and nominated as a contender for the prestigious FIFA Puskas Award by the Brazilian Press. A proud moment for Christie, but also Aberdeen, Celtic and Scottish football. He won their young player of the year for season 2016-17, a complete turnaround after his pejorative remark about their support years back, but a good funny irony but nothing more. Then made himself a hero at Aberdeen scoring the winning goal in May 2017 in a 2-1 win over Sevco at Ibrox in the league, their first victory at Ibrox in around 25 years.

He also helped them to come second in the league ahead of Sevco and to make the Scottish Cup final. Sadly for him as the opponents were to be Celtic he was not to play in that match.

Return to Celtic

On his return to a buoyed up Celtic, he had to compete in a squad that had completed the double treble. However there were concerns about Brendan Rodgers commitment and the first team’s form but Celtic were still on the top domestically. Nevertheless Christie got on with things.

As a player he was very much straight forward, with no fuss or dramas, just effort and end product. He did everything at pace, and in the blink of an eye he’d made his decisions, often using his strength, balance and speed with his good first touch to get the advantage. He was a superb player on his day, but he needed to cut out unnecessary fouls which were conceding free kicks and yellow cards.

For the start of the 2018-19 season, Celtic had actually started off the season quite poorly, knocked out the European Cup qualifiers with the league form & performances being very unconvincing. The first team seemed to have gone stale and new blood was needed, but Celtic had a poor transfer window. Christie was initially used sporadically, but Brendan Rodgers had faith and played him when possible.

He began to be a regular player but was settling in. As injuries crept in, this gave some young players a chance, and Christie pounced on it, with some sublime performances in Oct 2018, and three excellent goals in to the bargain, bringing him to the forefront.

He came to the fore in a 3-0 victory over Hearts in a league cup semi-final, winning a penalty and scoring his debut goal which was a screamer from outside the box into the corner of the goals. A great boost for all as the first team was getting it in the neck at the time. He was now seen as a first team starter and no longer a prospect.

An excellent game v RB Leipzig at home in the Champions League meant he was a new young favourite at Celtic (behind Tierney), and he was duly awarded a deserved three year contract. The joke now was that ex-Celt Stuart Armstrong had posters up on his wall of Ryan Christie.

He next capped off this spectacular entrance with the winning goal and a man of the match performance in the league cup final against (ironically) Aberdeen in Dec 2018. He had really come of age, but soon he was to have to start off again with a new manager as Brendan Rodgers left prematurely.

Neil Lennon Era

Ryan Christie initially continued as he started under the new manager (Neil Lennon), helping Celtic to complete the incredible treble-treble, but then was knocked out prematurely after being given a horrendous blackeye in the 3-0 win over Aberdeen in April 2019 in the Scottish Cup. The opponent, Dominic Ball, was sent off in what was an aerial collision that caused facial fractures. The post-match pictures of Christie’s injury are gruesome albeit he still somehow managed a smile and thumbs up.

He came back afresh for the next season and continued his fine form, scoring an incredible 20 goals in 45 games to help set up Celtic for the quadruple treble in season 2019/20. Possibly his finest game was scoring a hat-trick v St Johnstone in Aug 2019 in a 7-0 win that helped set Celtic up in a tough season. He also scored the equaliser v Lazio in the Europa League group stage at home which helped Celtic fight back to win late on, and pushed Celtic to create history topping the group and winning both legs v Italian opposition (never been done before by a Scottish side).

The Covid era delayed Scottish Cup final in December 2020 was a bittersweet moment for him, which sealed the historic quadruple treble season. He had scored during the match, but Celtic had squandered the lead v second tier Hearts to end the match 2-2 then 3-3 after extra-time. Christie then missed a penalty in the shootout v Hearts, but Celtic recovered thankfully to win. Relief for Christie, so there were no issues, just one of those things which thankfully wasn’t to prove costly. Some wits did though opine that it was the only shot at goal from Christie that entire season that did not go flying over the bar! Regardless, it all balanced out well for him, and he could be very proud of his part in this incredible achievement as it sealed the quadruple treble.

He was often seen in his first two full seasons as a reliable player in a Celtic side that admittedly was actually now increasingly showings signs of concern & decline.

However, what should have been his crowning season turned into a disaster. Season 2020/21 was a shambles as Celtic basically surrendered the league title to Sevco. Neil Lennon’s limited management skill hindered the side, and few came out of the season improved. Christie definitely seemed to regress, and the frustration from the general support was widely broadcast. Whereas Christie previously was providing assists and goals, now it was all going awry. He was as embattled as all the other players.

Ironically this came in parallel to Scotland finally making the finals of a major competition, Euro 2020 (delayed due to covid). Christie became a national hero after scoring the goal in the 1-1 Serbia draw, which went to penalties in a shootout for Scotland to win and head to the finals (first major tournament reached since 1998). In tears in post-match interview, he even got plaudits for it from Britpop legend Liam Gallagher of Oasis:

“Ryan Christie what a lad!”
Liam Gallagher (Oasis, Nov 2020).

Celtic fans were proud of his achievements with Scotland, but some began to question his commitment to Celtic, and if he wasn’t extending his contract in order to try to engineer a move down south to mirror Stuart Armstrong. In fairness, Celtic were a shambles under Lennon and Christie’s loss of form could be attributed to the poor coaching as much as to the player himself.

It didn’t help when Ryan Christie and ex-Celt Kieran Tierney were told to self-isolate after it was discovered the pair on Scotland duty had joined ex-Celt Stuart Armstrong who tested positive for Covid-19, for a few games on the PlayStation. The duo insist they were not using the same controllers and kept to social-distancing guidelines. Just deteriorated the relationship between Christie and the support as Christie was lost for a period of games.

He was regarded as one of the poorer performers during the disastrous 2020/21 season, continually firing long range shots at goal which rarely were paying off. One stat claimed that he’d scored only one goal from 51 long range efforts in the league that season! In fairness that’s what he was wrongly directed to do:

“The gaffer has told me to shoot on sight if I get the chance, which I’m delighted to hear.”

Actually he became the butt of many jokes for his skyward shooting which didn’t help matters.

It’s a textbook example of what bad coaching can do to a good player. A decent coach could have put a stop to his bad habits immediately, instead it had been encouraged some have argued.

He went to Euro 2020 (delayed to 2021) with Scotland but was sidelined and you’d never even know he’d been on the pitch. Supposedly a showcase to help him find a new club as he ran down his contract, but not even Scotland fans were calling on their former hero.

Ange Postecoglou Era and Christie’s final days at Celtic

His days in the new era was very short. He positively surprised the whole Celtic support with a raft of great performances as new Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou set up instilling a new system, playing philosophy and setup at the club. It was working, and Christie was seen as potentially a major component in this new era. He was finally seen to stop the frustrating and costly long-range shots which went wayward.

However, he wasn’t signing a new contract as his final contractual season was coming to an end, and as Ange Postecoglou stated on Ryan Christie’s Celtic future:

“I don’t think I need to twist his arm…if this doesn’t convince him I don’t think anything can”.

He dragged out the decision to leave Celtic to the last day, and moved on to unfancied Bournemouth in the second tier down south, a big dropdown. Most saw this as playing his cards wrong, and a big stepdown after spurious claims that clubs like Arsenal were supposedly interested in him once before. It’s fair to say, that a year under Ange Postecoglou could have seen his stock rise significantly.

His last match was in a disappointing 1-0 defeat to TheRangers away, and Christie received a lot of flak as he was poor in the game, and resorted back to a couple of long-range wayward shot. It hinted that maybe Celtic had hit a ceiling with Christie! A very talented player but most agreed his consistency had definitely regressed, and maybe best for all concerned that he moved on for his own sake at least.

A new era at Celtic, and if he opted for lowly Bournemouth, then the point is that if his mentality is to take a step downwards to Bournemouth then it revealed he hadn’t the mentality Celtic needed so why convince him to reconsider to stay. On the other hand, critics stated that prior to Postecoglou, Celtic were ironically going after the previously sacked Bournemouth manager (Eddie Howe). The obvious point is that Eddie Howe was going to be stepping up to Celtic, whilst Christie was diving downwards.

As one online wit put it, with Ryan Christie moving to Bournemouth: “I wish all the people of Northern France the best of luck“.

In his time at Celtic, Ryan Christie scored just one goal from 51 shots from outside the box in his league appearances.

He signed for Bournemouth in August 2021, with an estimated £2-3m transfer value, which financially was a good deal for Celtic for a player coming into his last season at the club.

He’d been a fine player with Celtic, and should be remembered favourably. Suffered under the poor Neil Lennon second managerial reign, but so did others.

An often frustrating player in his time but also a very talented one too, and one that Celtic would find difficult to replace like for like.

We wished him the best.

Post-Celtic

[….]

‘I’ve got a purpose and I can make an impact at Celtic.’
Ryan Christie (2018)

“I wouldn’t say I had given up on being at Celtic, but there was a lot of talk in the summer. I didn’t really know where my future was.”
Ryan Christie (2018)

“Ryan Christie what a lad.”
Liam Gallagher @liamgallagher of Oasis after the emotional interview by Christie in the play-off victory v Serbia to reach Euros 2020 (first major international tournament reached by Scotland in 22 years) (Nov 2020)
link: https://twitter.com/search?q=liam%20gallagher%20christie

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Playing Career

APPEARANCES	LEAGUE	SCOTTISH CUP	LEAGUE CUP	EUROPE	TOTAL
2015-16	2(3)	0(1)	–	–	2(4)
Goals	1	–	–	–	1
Assists	–	–	–	–	–
2016-17	3(2)	–	0(1)	1	4(2)
Goals	1	–	–	–	1
Assists	–	–	1	–	1
2018-19	17(6)	3	1(1)	6(4)	27(11)
Goals	9	–	2	–	11
Assists	6	–	2	1	9
2019-20	17(7)	2	2(1)	13(1)	34(9)
Goals	11	1	–	7	19
Assists	11	–	1	4	16
2020-21	34	2	1	9	46
Goals	5	1	0	1	7
Assists
2021-22	4	0	0	4	8
Goals	0	0	0	1	1
Assists
Total	95	10	7	38	150
Goals	27	3	2	9	41
Assists

Honours with Celtic

(Honours are marked below in which the player has played in at least one of the matches in the campaign.)

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Pictures

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KDS

• Threads (2015)
• Threads (2016)
• Threads (2018)

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Articles

Ryan Christie wondergoal for Aberdeen has football writers gushing in BRAZIL as it is nominated for prestigious FIFA Puskas Award

On-loan Celtic star Christie has won over the Aberdeen faithful – and now football fans in South America – with his stunning strike in the 7-2 romp over Motherwell.

ByMark Walker

10:42, 17 FEB 2017Updated10:52, 17 FEB 2017

Ryan Christie’s sizzling wonderstrike against Motherwell didn’t just win over Aberdeen fans – it’s also being hailed in BRAZIL.

The on loan Celtic kid netted a sensational goal in Wednesday’s 7-2 romp against Well which had boss Derek McInnes gushing.

Now it has been nominated as a contender for the prestigious FIFA Puskas Award by the Brazilian Press.

The 21-year-old playmaker’s move to Pittodrie was overshadowed when an old X-rated tweet about Dons resurfaced online. But all seems to have been forgotten as the Dons faithful rose to acclaim their new hero on Wednesday night.

And Christie’s sublime piece of skill from the 21-year-old has captured the attention of Brazilians.

Their respected sports newspaper Globo Esporte demanded the goal be considered for the Puskas Award.

The award, set up to honour the legendary late Hungarian, is awarded for ‘the most aesthetically significant, or most beautiful goal of the year,’ according to world football’s governing body.
Read More

Aberdeen 7 Motherwell 2 as Adam Rooney hat-trick helps Dons destroy Well and pull clear of Rangers – 3 things we learned

Aberdeen’s Ryan Christie celebrates scoring his side’s second goal (Photo: SNS)

Globo Esporte stated: “The Puskas Award may not be until November, but already we have a serious contender from Scotland’s Ryan Christie.

“An incredible first time strike from the Aberdeen player.”

Previous winners have included Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Dons boss Derek McInnes hailed Christie’s strike as Goal of the Season and remarked: “I have seen it again and it is top drawer, with the outside of his boot, so nonchalant, right into the stanchion of the goal. I’m really pleased with what we have been getting from Ryan.”

Meanwhile, Christie reckons he’s won over Aberdeen fans with his spectacular goal.
Aberdeen’s new signing Ryan Christie is unveiled

He told RedTV: “The main reason I moved was to get game time so I was delighted to start.

“I felt I needed to prove a point or show what I could bring to Aberdeen so I was happy to get on the scoresheet.

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Ryan Christie: From the Celtic fringes to a Scotland fairytale in under a month

BBC
By Amy MacBeath

BBC Sport Scotland

From the section Celtic 54

Ryan Christie graphic
McDonald played for Celtic between 2007 and 2010

Seven games, six assists, three goals, two caps and a new contract – a snapshot of Ryan Christie’s potentially career-defining month.

The 23-year-old had been on the periphery at Celtic Park and faced an uncertain future but he has transformed himself not just at club level but also on the international stage.

Christie spent 18 months on loan at Aberdeen before returning to Glasgow in the summer to garner only two starts, no goals and a handful of fleeting appearances from the bench before his meteoric rise.

From semi-final strikes, European euphoria through to Hampden heroics, BBC Scotland charts the latest chapter in Christie’s career.
28 October – A star is reborn

League Cup semi-final: Hearts 0-3 Celtic

An afternoon at Murrayfield in front of more than 60,000 fans sparked the former Inverness Caledonian Thistle player’s run as he played a huge role in Celtic booking a place in next Sunday’s League Cup final against Aberdeen.

With the semi-final against Hearts poised at 0-0 at the break, Christie came on to have a hand in all three of his side’s goals.

He was fouled in the box for the first, fired a shot at goal that James Forrest tapped in the rebound from for the second, before rounding things off with a beautifully placed effort into the top corner to make it three.
Ryan Christie has ‘big-game personality’, says Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers
31 October – No Halloween scares for Celtic

Scottish Premiership: Dundee 0-5 Celtic

Next up, a trip to Dens Park as Celtic rampaged to a 5-0 win.

Christie played the full game and just three minutes into the second half ran on to Odsonne Edouard’s through ball to score and help deliver Brendan Rodgers’ 100th competitive victory in charge.
Ryan Christie
Christie scores for Celtic against Dundee
3 November – Heart breaker, again

Scottish Premiership: Celtic 5-0 Hearts

After dumping Hearts out of the League Cup, Celtic were after their spot at the top of the Premiership.

For the second time in six days Rodgers’ side outclassed their Edinburgh opponents with Christie once again claiming the last goal, this time from the penalty spot. It was Celtic’s seventh straight domestic win.
Ryan Christie comparison graphic
Stats for club and country
8 November – Euro high

Europa League: Celtic 2-1 RB Leipzig

Christie was given the nod to face RB Leipzig at Celtic Park.

He set up Edouard’s winner to boost the Scottish champions’ Europa League ambitions.
12 November – ‘It’s been a bit of a whirlwind’

Christie then signed a new three-year Celtic contract with his initial four-year deal having been due to expire in the summer.

He said it “tops off an amazing wee period”.
Ryan Christie
Christie is now contracted until 2021
17 November – National impact

Nations League: Albania 0-4 Scotland

Having earned his first caps in friendlies against the Netherlands, Hungary and Mexico, Christie was again called upon by Scotland boss Alex McLeish for his Nations League squad.

In the first match away in Albania, Christie played the full 90 minutes and set up goals for Ryan Fraser and James Forrest.
20 November – Hampden highlight

Nations League: Scotland 3-2 Israel

Sitting top of Group C1 level on points with Israel, the Scots needed a victory over their rivals at Hampden to book Nations League promotion and, more importantly, a play-off spot.

Scotland delivered, and so did Christie, who fed the ball into Celtic team-mate Forrest for his second of three goals to claim a 3-2 victory.
Ryan Christie and Alex McLeish
Christie and McLeish celebrate Scotland’s win over Israel
‘He’s going all the way to the top’ – analysis

Former Aberdeen and Scotland defender Willie Miller on BBC Radio Scotland

In the Albania game, he was, for me, the outstanding performer; pressing the opposition, supporting [Steven] Fletcher, working back to help his defence and was involved in all four goals and his range of passing was exceptional. He has energy, pace and vision.

Former Inverness Caledonian Thistle manager John Hughes on BBC Radio Scotland

He had to bide his time. When I went up to Inverness I saw him train once and that was it, in with the first team. These kids have just got something about them, something that you can just tell he’s going to go all the way to the top.
‘I have to keep pushing on’

Christie said: “It has been pretty crazy. I’ve been very lucky to come into in-form teams. It’s been easy for me to come into these teams and mould in when everyone around me is playing so well.

“It’s funny how things can turn around in football, but obviously I keep my head down and hope that is going to come and lucky enough it has come. For me now, I have to keep pushing on.”

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‘Football is a religion for Celtic fans and they’ll miss it’ says Ryan Christie

As with all others in the football world, Ryan Christie recognises that public health supersedes any other considerations as the coronavirus accelerates. Yet, while the suspension of the season is a sensible decision taken for all the right reasons, it will have a societal impact that is particular to the game.
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/football-religion-celtic-fans-and-theyll-miss-it-says-ryan-christie-2450950
By Andrew Smith
Saturday, 14th March 2020, 10:30 pm
Celtic’s Ryan Christie launches the club’s season-ticket renewal scheme at Lennoxtown. Picture: Craig Williamson/SNS Copyright: 2020 SNS Group
The Celtic attacker, who spoke this week before Friday’s shut-down was announced by the Scottish FA and SPFL, acknowledges that, with football having such a grip in Scotland, a vital element that contributes to our cultural and community well-being will also be missing with its halting.
Too often societal ills are placed at football’s door. Too little recognition is given to the crucial function it serves offering an escape from the daily drudge. In doing so, football has a role in balancing mental health through providing regular doses of excitement and colour people cannot access otherwise in their routine existences.
Christie is an admirably cerebral sort who is capable of seeing the coronavirus crisis in a broader context.
Celtic: Get the latest team news, match previews and reports
“At a club like Celtic, every other day I’m amazed at the support we get from our fans. Most fans treat this club like a way of life and a religion. They live for coming to watch us play,” he said. “It’s not nice, but if somebody is carrying [the virus] then a stadium is probably the worst place for them to go. So many people love to watch us play football so it’s frustrating.”
However much fans want to get close to their heroes for autographs and selfies, Christie reveals Celtic’s footballing public have respected the requirement for such gestures to be placed in abeyance in a bid to protect players from the spread of the virus.
“I’ve had to decline a couple of times and it’s not nice, but the fans have been pretty understanding,” he said. “As soon as the club put a statement out we’ve had very little of it so it’s good to see they are taking the advice on board. The club have done well in getting us to and from games.”
Frankly, there appears little prospect of the season resuming with the peak of the virus still believed to be up to two months away. That has raised questions as to whether Celtic can be declared Premiership champions on the back of their 13-point lead after 30 games – as club manager Neil Lennon and captain Scott Brown maintain must happen.
Christie was asked his take on the possibility of another outcome, that the 2019-20 Premiership campaign becomes the equivalent of the league championships played during the Second World War, in that results are rendered unofficial and are not lodged in record books.
In that scenario, then, Celtic would not complete nine-in-a-row, this quest rolling on till next season. Whenever that might be, and whatever form that might take.
“It’s very strange,” added Christie. “You don’t really know how it would feel because it’s something you would never expect to happen. Hopefully it doesn’t come to that, that we can get the season finished. But if it does, it will be a very strange feeling, especially with so much of the season gone already. If consequences come to that then you need to put health and safety first instead of football.
“It’s obviously a very strange situation. It’s hard to adapt to it because you don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s really a 
day-to-day situation and focusing on each game. When you look across Europe and the world you see how many people are affected and you obviously wish the best for them. But you don’t know how long it’s away from having the same level of affect in Scotland and the UK.
“For us, it’s not our decision to make. All we can do is listen to the advice given to us. We’ll also pass on any advice. The club’s been brilliant in giving us information and advice and also the fans, how they can stop it from spreading. It’s our job as footballers in the public eye to do the same.”
Scottish football authorities seem reluctant to consider the possibility of voiding the season. If current standings decide the winners and losers, Celtic could be handed their latest league trophy with no ceremony and no fanfare.
“That would be very strange as we’ve done so well so far this season and have been pushing to try and have the same success. So it would be a strange end to the season if we have to go down that road. We want people to come and support the team they love but we might have to tell them that it might not be the best idea.”
Christie, with his father Charlie still involved at his first club Inverness Caledonian Thistle – where one player is in self-isolation after exhibiting signs of the virus – isn’t blinkered and doesn’t concern himself only with the implications of this unprecedented health crisis on Celtic. He has fears for the 
dozens of professional clubs in Scotland whose hand-to-mouth
existence is now facing an existential threat.
“I said that to one of the boys the other day, that there are so many teams in Scotland that need that money coming through the gate every weekend to keep the books balanced,” Christie said. “Again, it is not great. It doesn’t really help many teams in Scotland, but you have to put it into perspective. You would rather do that than put people’s lives in danger. Most of the time, with all these questions, you have to think of the bigger picture – especially when it comes to something as serious as this.”

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Emotional toil and German suitor: Why time has come for Celtic and whipping boy Ryan Christie to part

It has become the most infamous gaming session in Scottish football.By Andrew SmithTuesday, 4th May 2021, 5:00 pmhttps://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/emotional-toil-and-german-suitor-why-time-has-come-for-celtic-and-whipping-boy-ryan-christie-to-part-3224259
The controller clattering that, back in October on international duty, Ryan Christie indulged in with his former Celtic team-mates Stuart Armstrong and Kieran Tierney had serious repercussions for the Parkhead attacker. He was forced to isolate after Southampton’s Armstrong tested positive for Covid-19 and rendered unavailable for a pivotal season’s first encounter with Rangers.

Yet the camaraderie between the trio, even as they sat at distance on separate consoles, was now perhaps a precursor for all three battling one another on calls of duty in the English Premier League.
The latest reports that have Christie attracting interest from Burnley and Norwich are surely the first stages towards him making the break with the Glasgow club he joined from Inverness Caledonian Thistle six years ago. Indeed, there is a sense that the player, who it was revealed recently will be out of contract in January, was set on this path as he watched Tierney follow Armstrong south courtesy of a move to Arsenal two summers ago.Celtic: Get the latest team news, match previews and reports
Christie, and his father Charlie, have never shied away from acknowledging a desire for the 26-year-old to broaden his football horizons. The reluctance to enter into negotiations over a possible contract extension at Celtic has been even more revealing.

And on the back of a desperately disappointing season personally – as the previously enterprising and energised performer has appeared as diminished as the crumbling team around him – a summer parting may be in the interests of both parties.Ryan Christie is congratulated by his Scotland team-mates after netting the goal against Serbia in November that proved central to the counrtry ending a 23-year wait for a major finals appearance (Photo by Nikola Krstic / SNS Group)Ryan Christie is congratulated by his Scotland team-mates after netting the goal against Serbia in November that proved central to the counrtry ending a 23-year wait for a major finals appearance (Photo by Nikola Krstic / SNS Group)

It ought to be acknowledged that Christie in his pomp is an exceptional talent; a fizzing, game changer capable of producing wondrous strikes from seemingly impossible angles, and unpromising situations. His goal against Serbia in November’s Nations League play-off final, which effectively paved the way for Scotland to contest a first major finals in 23 years, will be treasured in these parts for ever more. As will his lachrymose post-match interview, when the tears he shed reflected the outpourings in living rooms across the nation.

If he was on the right side of collective emotions then, though, his faltering form has placed him on the wrong side of these with the Celtic support. It is difficult to trace when he became a consistent whipping boy for the club’s despairing followers, but he has never warranted the venomous abuse now unrelentingly meted out to him online.

The German suitor
Christie’s cause probably hasn’t been helped by the awareness that he would embrace a new challenge. It is believed that Celtic rejected an offer for him in January last year from a German suitor that held great appeal to him. Yet, he has never been less than committed on the pitch – he can play no other way but full pelt – and across the two seasons before this current, criminal campaign was instrumental in Celtic sweeping all before them. It is dreadfully unfair on him that his outstanding contribution over that period seems to have been completely forgotten by the swathes of the fanbase that only want to berate him over wayward shooting and perceived inadequacies.Christie curls in from 22 yards in the Covid-19 delayed 2019-20 Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen in November – his strike one in the victory that set the club up for a 12th straight trophy success one of the few real high points for him in a desperately disappointing club season. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

Christie curls in from 22 yards in the Covid-19 delayed 2019-20 Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen in November – his strike one in the victory that set the club up for a 12th straight trophy success one of the few real high points for him in a desperately disappointing club season. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

Christie, as he demonstrated with his Serbian sniffles, is a self-aware, smart individual who wears his heart on his sleeve. It is believed that he has been wounded by the opprobrium shovelled his way. This might be a factor in both curious body language as he has found himself in and out of the Celtic side since the early months of the season, and failure even to celebrate when netting on occasion.

Like many players struggling to find their rhythm amidst growing enmity from their own support, he has been guilty of forcing play and snatching wildly at opportunities that not so long ago he was curling effortlessly into the top corner from 20-odd yards. Indeed, his meagre total of nine goals this season, which contrasts with a 19-strike haul in the Covid-19 abridged campaign that preceded it, can be considered the product of a confidence crisis. Which was also reflected in the attacker even calling himself out publicly in December over his goal radar going awry.Scotland suffering too
This is not a good place to be, and is a horrible position for any player to extricate themselves. And if the Celtic faithful condemn Christie for looking for a new challenge, they should reflect that they have only assisted in creating the very circumstances that have made a Celtic parting appear inevitable.

They can choose to question what lies behind his falling short of previous standards in this calamitous campaign – where he has more recently found himself to be a round hole for the find-third pegs available in a midfield diamond, wherein David Turnbull has usurped him for the No.10 role. Yet, they might also want to consider how damaging such travails are about to prove in his career. When he scored in Serbia to set Scotland on the road to this summer’s Euros, he was a pivotal player for Steve Clarke, the strike his third in only two months in the international arena. It would have seemed inconceivable then he would not be a starter in the country’s first finals since France ’98. Now, though, it seems inconceivable that he will be, with Clarke selecting him for only one of the four games Scotland have contested in 2021, as the deployment of such as Che Adams, John McGinn, Ryan Fraser and Scott McTominay have squeezed his opportunities.

Sometimes players and clubs naturally drift apart, and both require fresh starts through no real fault of either. That point appears to have arrived for Christie and Celtic.

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Emotional Ryan Christie dedicates Scotland win to nation as Celtic midfielder hopes for party

A highly emotional Ryan Christie dedicated Scotland’s dramatic Euro 2020 play-off final victory over Serbia to the whole nation after a nerve-shredding night.By Mark AtkinsonThursday, 12th November 2020, 10:48 pmhttps://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/international/emotional-ryan-christie-dedicates-scotland-win-nation-celtic-midfielder-hopes-party-3034482The Scots prevailed on penalties in Belgrade after a 90th-minute Luka Jovic header cancelled out Christie’s 52nd minute opener.
However, goalkeeper David Marshall was the hero as he saved Aleksandar Mitrovic’s penalty as Scotland won the shoot-out 5-4 and secured their berth at next summer’s championships.Sign up to our daily newsletter
Christie had to watch the equaliser, extra time and penalties from the bench after being replaced three minutes from the end of regular time and admitted that it was one the hardest moments of his career.
“It’s an amazing night,” said the Celtic midfielder, who missed last month’s matches due to coronavirus isolation protocols. “I think from the start, we believed. From the camps previously, we’ve picked up so much belief in each other.”
When asked what it was like to watch the penalty shoot-out not being involved, Christie admitted: “It wasn’t nice. When you’re on the pitch, you always feel you can impact it, but when you’re off, you can’t watch it – it’s horrible. Those penalties are probably the worst thing I’ve ever been through.”
Welling up on camera as he spoke to Sky Sports, Christie added: “It’s for the whole nation. It’s been a horrible year for everyone [with the pandemic]. We knew that, coming into the game, we could give a little something to this country. I hope everyone back home is having a party. We deserve it.”

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