ADAM IDAH is making his critics eat their words with his four goals in five appearances for Celtic.
The Republic of Ireland international striker was a seemingly underwhelming loan signing from Championship outfit Norwich City late on deadline day.
The strapping 6ft-plus attack leader made his debut as a second-half substitute against Aberdeen at Pittodrie and assisted in the Hoops’ equalising goal from fellow new-Boy Nicolas Kuhn.
However, Idah claimed the headlines in the next match when he sent two unerring penalty-kicks past David Marshall in a dramatic 2-1 victory over Hibs at Easter Road.
GOING UP…Adam Idah leaps high to get to Greg Taylor’s cross.
GOING IN…Adam Idah’s header soars past Motherwell keeper Liam Kelly for Celtic’s equaliser.
The 23-year-old hitman fired blanks in the 2-0 Scottish Cup win over St Mirren in Paisley and the disappointing 1-1 Premiership stalemate with Kilmarnock at Parkhead.
But Idah responded superbly when he replaced Kyogo Furuhashi at the interval at Fir Park on Sunday with Brendan Rodgers’ men trailing 1-0 to Motherwell and failing to spark in a first-half that lacked ingenuity and intensity.
Idah led the storming revival with a flying header from a Greg Taylor left-wing cross shortly after the turnaround and the powerhouse struck in stoppage-time to give the visitors the lead before Luis Palma sealed the points.
Former Irish international wide player Keith Treacy, who starred for Burnley between 2011/14, is delighted with the form of the Cork-born forward and said: “His first goal [on Sunday], in particular, the header was brilliant, brilliant forward play.
“As a winger, when I see goals like that, I think that’s a forward I’d love to play with because you just take the ball out of your feet and put it into a decent area and he’s in and amongst it.
“His second goal, as well, because he stays within the width of the goal. If you come outside the width of the goal, it’s so difficult to hit those balls first time.
“If he comes outside there, it makes the finish a lot harder so it’s like he’s thinking about where he is in terms of pitch geography and where he needs to stay.”
MAKE MINE A DOUBLE…Adam Idah pounces again to net Celtic’s second goal.
Treacy, speaking to local media RTE, continued: “When Idah went to Celtic, I listened to an awful lot of Celtic fans and they’re thinking: ‘This isn’t the signing we wanted’.
“It felt like the Celtic fans thought that’s a bad signing and I thought: ‘Well, give him a chance, see how he does first. Thankfully now he’s starting to score goals from open play, he looks decent in hold-up play.”
Treacy added: “Brendan Rodgers, I’m hearing, is putting in an awful lot of work behind the scenes with him. One-on-one sessions which makes him feel loved, 60,000 Celtic fans screaming his name, as well.
“Can Adam Idah force his way into the Irish team? Possibly. If he can keep playing well for Celtic, there’s every chance, if he’s starting games and scoring goals
“I’m delighted for him because he’s such a good lad with a good work-rate. The mood music coming out of Celtic fans didn’t feel right to me straight away. They sort of said he’s not right for Celtic straight off the bat and now he’s starting to score goals, so I’m delighted for him.
“Long may it continue.”
