LUKE McCOWAN, the Bhoy who dared to dream, celebrates his 27th birthday today.
Last December, the all-action midfielder was in the Dundee team thrashed 3-0 by Celtic at Dens Park on Boxing Day.
Just under 12 months on, McCowan is preparing to play his part in Brendan Rodgers’ plans in Champions League matchday six against Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia tomorrow night.
The Greenock-born middle-of-the-park performer has seen his life and career somersault following his £1million switch from the Tayside club on deadline day, a deal somewhat overshadowed by the arrival at the same time as £11million record buy Arne Engels and £6million USA international defender Auston Trusty.
PARADISE FOUND…Luke McCowan holds aloft a Celtic scarf after his £1million arrival on deadline day.
McCowan may have arrived under the radar, but it didn’t take long for him to announce himself in the colours of his boyhood idols as he came on as a second-half substitute in the 3-0 derby victory over Phillipe Clement’s shell-shocked Ibrox outfit at a pulsating Parkhead just a couple of days after his recruitment.
A fortnight later, he rifled in his first Hoops goal in the 2-0 triumph over Hearts at the same venue and he has added other strikes against Motherwell and Ross County as he continues to thrive in Paradise.
McCowan won’t have too much time to celebrate his birthday as he is among a determined Hoops squad who will travel to Croatia in a bid to end a winless away sequence in Europe’s elite competition that stretches back to September 2017 when they hammered Anderlecht 3-0 in Brussels.
The newcomer believes it’s time to change that run and said: “I think winning away in the Champions League is obviously massive. So, we obviously look to try and do that.
“I think that’s probably one of the things the boys are looking towards is trying to get that, but, listen, we know it’s a hard thing to do.
GOAL-DEN BHOY…Luke McCowan celebrates his strike in the 3-0 win over Motherwell – his first start for Celtic – at Fir Park in October. James Forrest joins in.
“But you never know, it can maybe happen tomorrow. You try and look to win every game, regardless of where it is, but we know it’s going to be so hard. It’s a tough place to go.
“Obviously, off the back of a couple of tough games, you realise it’ll be hard because you’re away in the Champions League anyway, but the boys will be up for it and ready to go.”
A long-delayed win for Celtic would give them 11 points in the new-look set-up in Europe’s most prestigious tournament and would go a long way to sealing a play-off place.
McCowan, speaking to the Daily Record, commented: “I hope so. We just know, as I’ve said previously, performance levels are everything.
“That’s what we focus on first and then, if we come away from the game and we’ve made it to a qualification spot or whatever it is and you get through, then so be it.
“But it’s about having your standards and keeping them maintained. It’s the old cliche, it’s game at a time and keep doing what we’re doing.”
Asked if there was a sense of pride among the squad for going some way to changing things at the highest level, McCowan answered: “You’re asking the wrong guy because I was probably watching the games here, instead of being in the team.
ON THE BALL…Luke McCowan playing his role in Celtic’s 1-0 win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie this month.
“But I guess you kind of can say that. The format, the new Champions League, is a big benefitting factor because obviously you’re playing more games against different opponents.
“But we know it’s as tough anytime in the Champions League and we just want to show that we’re at that level and can push teams, regardless of wherever they’re at home or away, and that’ll be the message tomorrow.”
The champions have two encounters in the space of five days that will be crucial with the Premier Sports League Cup Final due against Rangers on Sunday after the players try to take care of business against the Croatians.
Could the matches shape Celtic’s campaign? McCowan, who is Cup-tied and will miss Hampden, replied: “Aye and no, I guess. Not season-defining. But it’s a big game on Sunday.
“Obviously, you’ve got Zagreb first and I’ll be looking forward to that because I can’t play at the weekend, so I can’t really talk much on it. Listen, we know what comes next, it’s another big game away in the Champions League.
“We’ve had a couple already, so the boys will be ready to go again.”
In the meantime, all at CQN and Celtic fans everywhere wish Luke McCowan, the Bhoy living the dream in Paradise, a very happy 27th birthday!
