CHRISTOPHER JULLIEN has admitted he doesn’t “regret at any time” signing for Celtic.
The skyscraper French centre-back arrived at Parkhead as the club’s most expensive defender in history when Neil Lennon paid £7million to Toulouse in the summer of 2019.
However, after claiming the domestic treble in his debut season – and hitting the League Cup winner against Steven Gerrard’s Ibrox side – Jullien saw his Hoops career thrown into jeopardy after a collision with a goal post in the team’s 3-0 league victory over Dundee United on December 31 2020.
HEADING FOR A FALL…Christopher Jullien is grounded.
The sickening clash came just a few days after the 29-year-old star had played in the Scottish Cup Final penalty-kick shoot-out over Hearts at Hampden that sealed the phenomenal quadruple treble.
Jullien required surgery on the knee injury and played only a cameo role in the 4-0 success over Raith Rovers in February.
His way back to the top side was barred by Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt, both signed by Lennon’s successor Ange Postecoglou, and his stay at the champions came to an end in the summer when he signed for Montpellier in a cut-price £850,000 move.
Commenting for the first time about his exit from Glasgow, Jullien said: “My first season was amazing! We managed to win the three national trophies.
“But the second was not as prolific since we only won one trophy. So, yes, the list has grown. I don’t regret at any time having signed there. I had an incredible experience.
HAMPDEN HOORAYS…matchwinner Christopher Jullien holds aloft the League Cup as he celebrates the December 2019 victory along with team-mates Mikey Johnston and Odsonne Edouard.
“When you don’t play for a year, you learn a lot about yourself, your surroundings and your family. After such an injury, you can only become stronger mentally.
“But the thing that struck me the most is that when you’re abroad and you’re not playing, your name comes out of the radar very quickly. Many people asked me what I was up to and whether I played or not.
“It a very long absence from a match, because I really came back from my injury in November 2021. The problem I encountered on my return was that the team was doing very well and the coach didn’t need to integrate me into the eleven.”
Jullien, speaking to the Ligue 1 website, added: “Even though I didn’t play last season and it was complicated on a human level with coach Ange Postecoglou, I learned a lot.
AU REVOIR…Christopher Jullien acknowledges the Celtic fans.
“He is a coach who relies a lot on video and who tries to get into the opponent’s head.
“Thanks to this, I realised that when you push the opposing team to do exactly what they don’t want, you can outwit them to an unimaginable extent.
“It’s like playing chess. If the opposing team can’t find a parry, you’re in for a treat.
“That’s why I think I’ve become more tactically savvy. But I always try to improve on this aspect.”
