MICHEL-ANGE BALIKWISHA hasn’t played in Celtic’s last three games and featured for a total of 65 minutes in substitute appearances in the previous three outings.
The £4.5million arrival in the summer has been a bit-part player since Martin O’Neill stepped in to take over in an interim capacity late last month after the unexpected departure of Brendan Rodgers.
The Belgium-born DR Congo international winger has failed to convince the Irishman of his value to the starting line-up, but the veteran manager has told him not to despair.
NOW YOU SEE ME…Michel-Ange Balikwisha in rare first-team action for Celtic.
O’Neill, who has won five of his matches in charge including last night’s memorable 3-1 Europa League success over Feyenoord in Rotterdam, is likely to take charge of the team for the final time in the difficult Premiership encounter against Hibs at Easter Road on Sunday.
It appears odds on that Frenchman Wilfried Nancy, currently head coach at MLS outfit Columbus Crew, will be announced as the new long-term successor to Rodgers in time for Wednesday night’s game against Dundee at Parkhead.
O’Neill has revealed a conversation he had with Balikwisha before the match at De Kuip where he started with Yang Hyun-jun on the left wing with the former Royal Antwerp star on the bench alongside £5.2million Sebastian Tounekti who made a 71st-minute appearance for the South Korean who netted the equaliser as the Hoops came off the ropes to claim three points.
The 73-year-old gaffer said: “You cannot play this game without confidence – and that’s the point. What has happened over these couple of weeks is that you start to see some players emerging.
DUTCH OF CLASS…Callum McGregor and his team-mates acknowledge the Celtic fans in Rotterdam.
“There’s one or two lads at this minute, like Balikwisha, who have not had a chance to play.
“I just said to him in the dressing room: ‘With the next manager coming in, he will see what you can do’.”
O’Neill, speaking to TNT Sports, added: “Some players have stepped into the team and onto the mark and have actually excelled in that sense, so they do not want to give their position away.
“Overall, it is up to players to do that. Confidence is everything if you can play.”
With Yang’s confidence sky high after an excellent performance against the Dutch, it’s certain he’ll start in the capital where Balikwisha will have to hope to get the opportunity from the bench to showcase his talents.
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