Adam Idah confident he can handle the pressure at Celtic
The 24-year-old, who completed a £9.5million switch from Norwich to Celtic Park last summer after a successful loan spell, finished the campaign with 20 goals despite making almost half his 53 appearances in all competitions from the bench.
However, he also suffered testing periods, not least after a video of him apparently vomiting from a taxi circulated on social media, prompting a stern defence from manager Brendan Rodgers.
Asked about the pressure, Idah said: 'The pressure is a lot and you are expected to deliver. I think with my experience now, you have to put that behind you. You know what you are good at.
'If you don't score for a couple of games, it is not helpful to listen to an ex-player. I am not really concerned with what he thinks – I am there to do my bit.
'I had a good run in the last few games, but I know it can turn quick. That is football. There have been plenty of games when I have gone without scoring, you have to stay focused and help the team.
'There is a lot of pressure at the club to be successful. It is good, I think. Every player wants to play at a big club, but what comes with a big club is the pressure.'
Rodgers' backing – the Bhoys boss described him as 'a great young professional' – was welcome, but Idah has vowed to continue to live his life despite having to do so in the spotlight at times.
He said: 'At the end of the day I am a human being. I go out. I don't have to stay inside all the time. It's hard when people are videoing you, it can be quite upsetting, especially when the story is made out to be what it is not.
'It can be tough, but like I said, I am human and I'm going to carry on with my life.'
In the meantime, Idah faces the task of re-establishing himself in the Ireland team under new boss Heimir Hallgrimsson, with Evan Ferguson and Troy Parrott having edged ahead of him in the pecking order.
Caption this 😄… pic.twitter.com/lv8F5cWllh
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) March 23, 2025
It was he who scored the winner after coming off the bench in the 2-1 Nations League victory over Bulgaria in March, and he will hope for a further taste of action in Friday night's friendly against Senegal at the Aviva Stadium as Hallgrimsson attempts to build up a run of three wins in four games ahead of the World Cup qualifying campaign.
He said: 'We want to qualify for the World Cup and you want to be part of that, whether it is starting or off the bench. Even if you don't come on you can always help the team.
'It is up to the manager. Of course I want the minutes, but qualifying is the most important.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
an hour ago
- Metro
Why are England playing Andorra in Spain? Reason behind different stadium
England resume their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a trip to face Andorra – so why have the Three Lions ended up playing in Barcelona? After two routine wins in Thomas Tuchel's first international break in charge, England sit top of Group K and in a very comfortable position. And England will be expecting to make it three from three in World Cup qualifying when they face 173rd-ranked Andorra on Saturday night. Alvarez Koldo's side lost both of their opening World Cup qualifying matches and have won just one match – a 2-0 victory over San Marino last November – since the start of 2023. And while many fans would relish a trip to face the European minnows in their homeland, Saturday's fixture will instead be played south of Andorra's border in Barcelona. Here's why. The Estadi Nacional, Andorra's national stadium, normally hosts the country's national team matches but is unavailable having recently hosted the Games of the Small States of Europe. The country has built another stadium but it did not meet Uefa deadlines to host this match meaning the game had to be played abroad. Saturday's match will instead take place at the RCDE Stadium, which is the home of La Liga side Espanyol. Espanyol said: 'The Andorran Football Federation chose the RCDE Stadium as the venue due to its modern facilities and organisational capacity.' More Trending The stadium has a 40,000 capacity – compared to the 3,306 that can fit inside Andorra's regular stadium – and recently played host to England's 2-1 defeat against Spain in the Women's Nations League. Andorra vs England kicks off at 5pm on Saturday, 7 June. Viewers can watch the action on ITV1, with coverage beginning at 4.15pm. Fans can also stream the action online via ITVX. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Chelsea signing Liam Delap decides between Club World Cup and U21 Euros MORE: Andorra vs England odds: Three Lions can enjoy a comprehensive win in World Cup qualifier MORE: England star Fran Kirby announces international retirement before Euros
Metro
an hour ago
- Metro
Rayan Cherki confirms next club after Man City, Man Utd and Liverpool talks
Rayan Cherki has confirmed he is close to sealing a summer move to Manchester City. The Lyon sensation confirmed his plans to leave the French side at the end of the 2024-25 season, sparking a scramble to land the player regarded as one of the biggest talents in Europe. Manchester United were among the clubs interested in his services before appearing to shift focus to Bryan Mbuemo. Liverpool are also admirers with Arne Slot flying out to France for face-to-face talks before the club eventually shifted focus to Florian Wirtz. But City have emerged as the favourites to land the Frenchman. Cherki was on the score sheet on Thursday night as France lost a 5-4 thriller to Spain in the Nations League semi-final, setting up a third place play-off with Germany on Sunday. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you. The attacking midfielder remains focused on international commitments for now but revealed a move for of a fee of around £35million is close. 'Yes… it's getting done,' Cherki told Telefoot. 'But you already know my answer, everybody knows. But there's still a game to play. Now we have to enjoy and give everything, but after it will be done.' City hope to have Cherki signed in time to play in the Club World Cup. Pep Guardiola's side begin their campaign against Wydad AC on Wednesday 18 June. City have also agreed a deal to sign AC Milan star Tijani Reijnders, with the midfielder set to join for a fee that could rise to £58million. Wolves left-back Rayan Ait Nouri is another key target with Wolves demanding £50million for their player. More Trending City have until Tuesday to finalise transfer business and register new signings for the Club World Cup. After their run of four straight Premier League title wins came to an end, major changes to the City squad are underway with Kevin de Bruyne and Jack Grealish among the high profile names on the way out. 'I need energy for myself and the people give me energy,' Guardiola told ESPN. 'You see the eyes, new faces, 'I want to do it,' 'I want to be there,' new little details in the training sessions. It's new energy. 'Because energy for itself, the energy is one Premier League more, one Champions League more or one Community Shield more? It's not. It's not going to change my life one Premier League more or less in my period in Man City, it's not going to change anything.' MORE: Chelsea told they have already made £12m mistake in summer transfer window MORE: Chelsea signing Liam Delap decides between Club World Cup and U21 Euros MORE: Al-Hilal make offer for £63m Man Utd target after missing out on Bruno Fernandes
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Football's ‘next generation' of 2014 and where they are more than 10 years later
The Next Generation list of 2014 has turned out a mix of world-beaters and underwhelming products, with a collection of players born in 1997 originally tipped for the top Spotting the cream of the crop in football is one thing, but unearthing the next sensation is a whole different ball game. Each season ushers in a fresh wave of potential superstars, yet only a select few truly make their mark. It's been more than 10 years since The Guardian released its Next Generation Class of 2014, showcasing what were considered 40 of the world's top prospects born in 1997. Fast forward to today, and the whereabouts of these once-touted prodigies paint a diverse tapestry. Some have indeed lived up to the hype, while others have sadly drifted from the limelight, and a few have even hung up their boots already. Mirror Football revisits the list to see how these hopefuls have fared over the years and where they stand today. Topping the stakes is Ousmane Dembele, who was instrumental in Paris Saint-Germain's long-awaited Champions League triumph this season. Under the guidance of Luis Enrique, PSG clinched an unprecedented treble, with Dembele earning high praise and a distinct Ballon d'Or tip from his manager. "I would give the Ballon d'Or to Ousmane Dembele for the way he defended in this final," he said of the 2018 World Cup champion, who notched two assists in PSG's emphatic 5-0 win over Inter Milan. "That's what you call leading a team. "I sincerely believe he deserves the Ballon d'Or, without a doubt, not just for the titles he won or the goals he scored, but for his pressing. He's done it all season, but exceptionally in this final." No one else from the 2014 Next Gen stars quite matches up to the Frenchman, who weathered turbulent times at Barcelona, where he won La Liga on three occasions. Yet players like Youri Tielemans and Dominic Solanke have carved out notable careers of their own, with the latter recently securing the Europa League trophy after beating Manchester United. Tielemans, once a wonderkid at Anderlecht, has been lauded as one of Aston Villa's shrewdest acquisitions in recent memory and is now an integral part of Unai Emery's squad. Solanke, on the other hand, defied underwhelming spells at Chelsea and Liverpool to truly break through at Bournemouth before Spurs sealed a club-record £55million transfer last summer. Two talents who featured on The Guardian's list now find themselves as team-mates at Saudi side Al-Hilal, who welcomed both Ruben Neves and Malcom in the summer of 2023. The duo, who arrived from Wolves and Zenit St. Petersburg respectively, cost a hefty £100m combined and won the Saudi Pro League in their debut season. Among the other familiar names on the list are former West Ham midfielder Nikola Vlasic (now at Torino), Flamengo's Gerson, Bournemouth striker Enes Unal and AC Milan's Luka Jovic. However, not every young star tipped for greatness 11 years ago has seen their career go as planned. Ex-Boca Juniors prodigy Guido Vadala was once voted Argentina's best young player and had stints at Barcelona and Juventus in his teens. But he has become somewhat of a journeyman across South America today and now plays for Bolivian outfit Blooming. South Korean Seo Jung-hyun was part of the Pohang Steelers squad that triumphed over Manchester City's Under-18s during a tournament in the UAE in 2014. However, five years after The Guardian's list was published, the former midfield gem retired to pursue a coaching career, citing Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann as his inspiration. The most tragic story from the 2014 class, however, is that of Abdelhak 'Appie' Nouri, who was making a name for himself in Ajax's first team when he suffered a cardiac arrest in July 2017. His life was irrevocably changed as he was forced to retire with permanent brain damage. He now seeks to raise awareness of heart-related issues in football through his foundation, which aims to install defibrillators at stadiums worldwide. Full 2014 Next Generation list and where they are now 1. Daniel de Silva (Macarthur FC, Australia) 2. Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa, England) 3. Alveiro Sanchez (Retired in 2019) 4. Malcom (Al-Hilal, Saudi Arabia) 5. Ousmane Dembele (PSG, France) 6. Bozhidar Kraev (Western Sydney Wanderers, Australia) 7. Gerson (Flamengo, Brazil) 8. Dominic Solanke (Tottenham, England) 9. Ante Coric (Varazdin, Croatia) 10. Mikkel Duelund (Aarhus, Denmark) 11. Li Zhongyi (Qinghai Kunlun, China) 12. Guido Vadala (Blooming, Bolivia) 13. Jean-Kevin Augustin (Motor Lublin, Poland) 14. Benjamin Henrichs (RB Leipzig, Germany) 15. Federico Bonnazzoli (Cremonese, Italy) 16. Lazaros Lamprou (Rakow, Poland) 17. Maxime Lopez (Paris FC, France) 18. Nikola Vlasic (Torino, Italy) 19. Benedikt Gimber (Heidenheim, Germany) 20. Ryan Ledson (Huddersfield Town, England) 21. Abdelhak Nouri (Retired due to health in 2017) 22. Daisuke Sakai (PSM Makassar, Indonesia) 23. Erick Aguirre (Monterrey, Mexico) 24. Sander Svendsen (Viking, Norway) 25. Jari Schuurman (Dordrecht, Netherlands) 26. Ruben Neves (Al-Hilal, Saudi Arabia) 27. Cristian Manea (Rapid Bucuresti, Romania) 28. Luka Jovic (AC Milan, Italy) 29. Dawid Kownacki (Werder Bremen, Germany) 30. Timur Zhamaletdinov (Znamya Truda, Russia) 31. Irfan bin Fandi Ahmad (Port, Thailand) 32. Adrian Marin (Braga, Portugal) 33. Seo Jung-hyun (Retired in 2019) 34. Fagrie Lakay (Cleopatra, Egypt) 35. Julen Arellano (Retired in 2019) 36. Enes Unal (Bournemouth, England) 37. Erik Andersson (Orebro, Sweden) 38. Phan Thanh Hau (Quang Nam, Vietnam) 39. Erik Palmer-Brown (Panathinaikos, Greece) 40. Ferran Sarsanedas (Prat, Spain)
