McCourt covets more Celtic starts

Advertisement

McCourt desires first-team action

Celtic's Pat McCourt is frustrated with life on the substitutes' bench, having started just two matches for the club.

"I don't think any player will ever set out just to be an impact player," said the midfielder, who scored in each of the games he started in.

"I don't think any player will stay at a club for more than two or three years if they are going to be on the bench all the time.

"They will obviously look to move somewhere they can play."

The 25-year-old arrived on a three-year deal from Derry City last summer and took a while to catch up with the fitness levels of his team-mates, making just five substitute appearances in his first season.

Having found the net against Falkirk in the last round, McCourt will be hoping for another chance to shine in Wednesday's Co-operative Insurance Cup tie against Hearts.

And he is confident he can prove worthy of a few more starts.

He can light games up and show pieces of individualism that other footballers can only dream of Mark Venus Celtic assistant manager

"I would love to finish my career here, I love the club and I've always loved it," said McCourt, who has made six outings from the bench this term.

"If that means playing 20 games and coming on in 15 then I'll be quite happy, but I wouldn't want to just be on the bench every week.

"I feel great, I haven't missed a day of training all year.

"Obviously the more games I get, the sharper I'll get, but the two games I started I have felt great.

"I just want to be a regular starter, but it's up to me to rectify the wee things I'm missing in my game.

"If I put all that together I don't think there will be much stopping me becoming a regular starter.

"I know the manager says he doesn't think I'm the complete player. I know that myself and I'm working hard to improve."

Assistant manager Mark Venus is a great admirer of McCourt's talent but has told the Northern Ireland international he still has work to do to improve his all-round game.

"Paddy McCourt is a player who we were going to take to West Bromwich Albion," Venus said.

"After watching him train, Paddy is what we thought he is.

"He can light games up and show pieces of individualism that other footballers can only dream of.

"But he is also a player who has got shortfalls in his game and I think he would be the first to admit that.

"He needs to improve on his shortfalls to be a regular at a club like Celtic.

"I see him as a player who, at the moment in our eyes, is probably not a week-in, week-out footballer for the club.

"Some games he can play, sometimes maybe on the bench, but I think his game has ups and downs.

"We are trying hard and he is trying very hard, I know that, to get better."