CIFTCI ORDERED TO ‘GET IN SHAPE’

CELTIC’S frozen-out striker Nadir Ciftci has been told to get in shape by his boss at Polish outfit Pogon Szczecin.

The Turkish international frontman joined the Poles on loan until the end of the season after a late January move to Motherwell fell through.

However, after almost two months, Ciftci has failed to score in five games and has made little impact at Pogon with the club slipping out of the top half of the table.

Head Coach Kazimierz Moskal said: “Nadir’s problems here are because he hasn’t played football properly for a long time and is lacking match fitness, but, with each passing week here and the more he plays, it should work in his favour.

“It would have been helpful if he arrived here fully fit and ready to play, but we knew it would take time with him.

“Expectations were high when he arrived, perhaps too high.

“He wants to play and help the team, but for now we have to rebuild his fitness and confidence.

“I believe that Nadir has the skills and will show them in the end, although I accept it hasn’t looked good so far, but I still maintain he can be a bargain. 

“He can play as a striker or out wide and he gives us more options.”

Ex-boss Ronny Deila paid £1.3million to Dundee United for Ciftci in the summer of 2015, but he has made only four substitute appearances since Brendan Rodgers took over at the start of the season.

The 25-year-old forward is under contract until June 2019.