All Aboard The Night Train

Dedryck Boyata was burning the midnight oil and training after hours at Lennoxtown to get back in the team

- Tony Connelly

ONE of the most striking changes which Celtic fans will have noticed in their team since Brendan Rodgers took over as manager is the work-rate of the players.

The high pressing game which the Hoops deploy to such great effect places huge physical demands on the players and requires a vehement desire to want to pull on the green and white jersey, one which is epitomised by Dedryck Boyata who has now returned to the first-team following an injury lay-off.

The Belgian defender has been out since sustaining an injury at the beginning of pre-season, however last week he started in the 4-0 win over Dundee in the League Cup quarter-final. Then, three days later he was again in the starting XI and put in an impressive performance when Celtic convincingly defeated Rangers 2-0 at Ibrox in the Premiership.

“It always feels good to be back on the pitch when you’ve been out for quite a while,” Boyata told the Celtic View in an exclusive interview. “Of course I still feel like I need to get my fitness back but it felt very good.

“I felt comfortable in the first game back against Dundee, it felt like I hadn’t been out because the players around me are so organised and we are always talking to each other. I was happy to be there and to be able to enjoy the game and celebrate a win with my team-mates was an amazing moment.

“I’ve been out for two-and-half months now and I think basically coming back you always have these scary thoughts of getting injured again and trying to avoid certain things. But to be back on that pitch you need to be 100 per cent sure you can help the team and in my head I had no hesitation or doubts that I was ready.”