Talking A Good Game

Jeremy Toljan is already enjoying life at Celtic, and once he masters the Scottish accent, he’ll be flying for the Hoops

- Tony Connelly

IT’S been a quick turnaround for Jeremy Toljan, but the German defender has hit the ground running at Celtic and, if early indications are anything to go by, he could be a key part of Brendan Rodgers’ squad for the remainder of the season.

Toljan made his debut 48 hours after touching down in Glasgow, but he didn’t look like a new addition to the team when he pulled on the Hoops for the first time.

The 23-year-old seamlessly slotted into the right-back position for the second half against St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park and helped his new team-mates to a 2-0 win over the Perth side.

His composure and link-up play suggested his stay at Celtic could be a highly productive one. In fact, Toljan admitted the aspect which has taken him the longest to adjust to has been off the field.

“I’m still finding it hard to fully understand the Scottish accent, but I’m getting there,” he said in an exclusive interview with the Celtic View. “I started learning English when I was young, but I haven’t used it very much. It’s easier to understand it than to speak it when you haven’t used it very much, but it’s improving each day.

“I arrived two days before the St Johnstone away game so I was a bit surprised to be in the squad. I thought I was there to see how everything works and see the game. In the end, I was very happy to play the second half. I thought the team did a great job and it was excellent to get the win.

“The manager didn’t have to tell me too much at half-time. He knows what kind of player I am, so he essentially told me to enjoy it and play my game.