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Cillian Sheridan; evening times article
Topic Started: Oct 25 2008, 01:41 PM (83 Views)
Jinty
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Power and pace will propel Cillian in his pursuit of prestige
Exclusive by Darrell King

BIG Cillian Sheridan lacks nothing in terms of the physical attributes that could give him a fighting chance of carving out a fine Celtic career.

Experience is the only thing missing from his locker, although plenty would have been banked from a cameo performance against Manchester United this week in the Champions League.

Clearly, the young Irishman is being groomed for a major role by Gordon Strachan, given the public votes of confidence he has received.

As is the way with most young players with something that bit special, Sheridan is fuelled by a major desire to make it as a top-level striker.

He trusts his manager in the way he is handling his development, which Strachan says is about being careful not to push him too soon as there have been some problems with growing pains as he fills out his tall frame.

But there is always that straining on the leash, a trait many undaunted youngsters on the periphery of first-team life at the Old Firm have, and Sheridan wants to make his mark.

The current striking crisis that has hit Strachan, just as Celtic enter a hectic run of games in three competitions, may well see the door being opened for the 19-year-old, who has impressed everyone at the club with his attitude to work, and his understanding of what he has to put in to ensure his natural talent can be fulfilled.

Reflecting on events, he smiled: "I am really enjoying the step-up, and getting on up at Inverness last weekend and then again at Old Trafford was a fantastic experience for me.

"I'm still a young player and I have a lot to learn, but to be gaining that kind of experience against teams like Manchester United is great.

"Being involved in the first- team picture with so many top players here is really helping my game."

He added: "The training, the experience of being in the squads, the advice from the coaches and manager, it's all crucial and I try to learn as much as I can every day, and also when we are away like during this week down in Manchester.

"Like everyone, you want to play. I want to play for Celtic and score goals for the club, but there are top-class strikers here and I just need to wait for my chance.

"When that comes is down to the manager. It's unfortunate for Georgios Samaras, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Chris Killen, who have injuries right now.

"But I just need to keep myself prepared and be ready every time the manager needs me. That's what I'll be doing."

Sheridan, who appears to have that invaluable asset of genuine pace even though he's over six foot, embraces the concept that the modern striker has to have plenty in their armoury to cut it.

At Old Trafford he got a close glimpse of the very best; the touch, presence and grace of Dimitar Berbatov, and the sheer raw power, speed and class of Wayne Rooney.

These men are operating at the very top of the business, but Sheridan admits that working hard to improve himself is something he has to do.

In the build-up to the United match Strachan, quite rightly, spoke of how it would be unfair to throw the youngster in from the start, given he had only played in a handful of first-team matches so far.

He also highlighted how a step up to first team training levels for the first time, and the pressures that come with that physically, are the things Celtic are keeping an eye on.

"You see the top guys like Rooney and Berbatov the other night and they have everything in their game," Sheridan added.

"I watch a lot of strikers to try and learn things and, of course, try to pick up things from training and playing alongside Sami and big Jan here.

"I know that a lot of the game now is based on pace and power, so building myself up is something I will keep working on to improve."

Sheridan certainly carried no inhibitions into the Theatre of Dreams when he was pitched on for the final 15 minutes of Celtic's 3-0 defeat that leaves them heading towards a Uefa Cup battle with Aalborg unless they can glean a major points haul from the three group games they have left.

A couple of darting runs, and a real directness in his play certainly suggest that Strachan is right to have faith in the player.

It was a personal high for Sheridan to enter that kind of company, even if the result left him as disappointed as everyone else in the Celtic camp.

Reflecting on his Old Trafford experience, he smiled: "The manager just said to me try and score a goal'. That's my job as a striker, and I went on and tried to get forward when I could.

"There were a couple of things I felt I could have done better with, and a header I maybe should have got on target, but it was a good experience even if the result was a blow.

"We knew it would be tough against them, but it's the ultimate dream for young guys like me to play in these kind of matches.

"I would like to be involved in the return game, but we'll see what happens. We need to try and win the match when they come to Glasgow. But we have important games in the SPL and in the cup before that, so we'll be focusing on them."

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Henke
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Sounds good. :clap:
In every hick town in Caledonia

Across this pseudo nation

You can see the most fucked up scum that was ever shat into creation

Where a blue McEwan's lager top equals no imagination

You're hunbelievable



If you're having cash problems I feel bad for you hun
I've got 99 problems but tax ain't one
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Jinty
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well done cillian :clap: ......battled well today, and stayed calm to take a well deserved goal

a bit rusty with his first touch from time to time, but a few more matches under his belt should help with that :thumbs.up:
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Jinty
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from the fishal site

manager: we'll look after young star cillian
David Friel

GORDON STRACHAN has vowed to protect teenager Cillian Sheridan after the striker capped his full SPL debut with a goal in Saturday’s 4-2 win over Hibernian.

Signed by the Hoops in 2006, the Irishman arrived late to full-time football but has made a big impression over the last two-and-a-half years, despite continually being hindered by injury.

Still only 19, the giant hitman is edging towards full fitness and has been given a top-team chance due to a spate of injuries in the striking area.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s Co-operative Cup quarter-final against Kilmarnock, the Celtic manager admitted to be being pleased with Sheridan’s overall progress but promised not to push him too hard, too soon.

He said: “Saturday was Cillian’s first 90 minutes for us, so we need to watch him. He’s had a lot of injuries over the last year and we need to protect him.

“That’s not just for our sake, but for Cillian’s good as well. He came into the game relatively late. I think he only started playing football at 13 or 14.

“He’s probably been injured more than he’s trained in the last 18 months. His body has taken time to get used to his frame and that gives you a dilemma – how much coaching do you give him? How much stamina work do you give him?

“We have to protect him. He’s not like a normal kid who has come up through an academy and has been built up that way. It’s important that we protect him. He’s different from the rest.”

Celtic last won the League Cup in 2006 – the manager’s first trophy for the club – and he admitted the prospect of a semi-final spot would give the Hoops something to looking forward to after Christmas.

“It would be good to just keep winning,” he said. “We want to keep that momentum going and if it means reaching a semi-final, then that would be a fantastic.

“It’s about winning games. Our squad is stretched at the moment, so the players deserve praise for the way they have handled that. It will be a tough game at Rugby Park and everyone will tell you that because Kilmarnock are playing well and are third in the SPL.

“But if Celtic don’t win? It will be treated as a complete and utter sensation. We will see all the usual nonsense, even though everyone will tell you that Kilmarnock are having a great season.”

Celtic are currently in the midst of a nine-game, four-week run of fixtures but the manager stressed that you won’t hear the champion complaining about this hectic run.

He said: “The games are coming along thick and fast, but we just get on with it. If you want to be at a top club, you just have to deal with it. I don’t have a problem with playing the game in between our midweek European matches. Where else do you squeeze them in?

“The League Cup isn’t a long competition. You need to win four matches to lift the trophy because the organisers helped us by leaving us out of the first round draw. We can’t complain too much.”

The Celtic manager will monitor the fitness of captain Stephen McManus before finalising his line-up for the Killie match. Georgios Samaras, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Marc Crosas and Chris Killen remain sidelined.



cue cillian being relegated to the bench again?! :rolleyes:


liked his wee dig at the huns tho! :D

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