LUIS PALMA celebrated his debut campaign at Celtic by scoring the winner in the final Premiership game of another successful season at Parkhead on May 18.
Trophy Day was heading for a 2-2 stalemate with spoilsports St Mirren until the Honduran swooped in the 86th minute to tuck a low right-wing cross from Anthony Ralston behind the stranded Zach Hemming.
Palma, who cost £3.5million when he joined from Greek top-flight outfit Aris in the summer, celebrated big-style.
And the flamboyant winger has promised the Hoops faithful there is more to come – despite reports in his homeland that he could be on the verge of leaving the champions.
JUST CHAMPION…Luis Palma races away in triumph after scoring the winner against St Mirren in the last Premiership game of the season.
Palma said: “I have only been at Celtic for a year and I have four years left of my contract. I am focusing on the new season and getting back to the level I was at when I first arrived.
“It won’t take much to get me back to that. The pre-season will be important for me because we want to become champions again, I want to work harder to ensure that happens again.
“This week the pre-season begins at Celtic, but I get extra days off because I was playing with the national team. I will join up with the team in the United States.”
Palma, speaking in a report in the Daily Record, added: “My other main aim next season is to make sure Honduras get to the World Cup.
“We have a tough path and although many people say ‘it’s only against Cuba and Bermuda’ they are full of players who play in the lower leagues of English football, so it will be tough.”
JUST HEAVEN…a jubilant Luis Palma celebrates his first Celtic goal in the 2-1 win over Motherwell at Fir Park in September.
The entertaining touchline performer scored his first goal for the three-in-a-row title winners in the 2-1 victory over Motherwel at Fir Park on September 30 on the afternoon Matt O’Riley claimed a dramatic stoppage-time winner.
Palma also fired in a spectacular effort in the 2-2 Champions League draw with Atletico Madrid under the lights in the east end of Glasgow a month later.
He completed the crusade with 10 strikes to his name – and he aims to enhance that total in his second year in Scotland as Celtic look for their fourth successive crown, their thirteenth in 14 years and the club’s 55th overall.
