STEFAN SCEPOVIC admits he flopped in his first season with Celtic because he struggled to adapt to the long ball game and the physical side of Scottish football.
The Serbian hitman signed a four-year deal with the Hoops on transfer deadline day last summer in a £2.2million move from Sporting Gijon.
But the 25-year-old endured a difficult first campaign and netted just four league goals.
And Scepovic has revealed he’s held heart-to-heart talks with manager Ronny Deila in a bid to get his Hoops career back on track.
He said: “Wherever I have played I have always scored goals or helped with assists, but it has been hard adapting to Scottish football.
“There are many long balls and this has been a shock to me. I spoke with the manager Ronny Deila and he told me he knew that it would take me a season to adjust.
“Football in Scotland is very physical and there is another issue which is also a problem – Celtic are the biggest team and everyone wants to scrap or win one point against us.
“We always have to score early because otherwise our rivals will just close the door on us.
“The referees have difficulty in removing their cards from their pockets. For it to be a yellow card, it has to be a strong tackle and the red card rarely comes out.
“All players want to play, obviously, but when you come to a club the size of Celtic, then you have to get to know the team, its country and its people.
“I was frustrated because I wasn’t playing, but after my conversation with the coach I understand it won’t just happen for me overnight.
“It’s a matter of adapting and having continuity. I take comfort from the fact I scored two goals in four games in the Europa League.”
But despite the disappointments of his first season, Scepovic insists he wants to stay and make a big impact in Glasgow.
He said: “You never know in football, but the Celtic coach and people at the club have told me they have faith in me.
“They knew last season wasn’t going to be easy. I’m a Celtic player and I am only thinking about doing things right here.
“In the future, you don’t know what will happen, but right now I am focused on playing for Celtic.
“Last season, I arrived after Maribor beat us – the goal this year is to be in the Champions League Group Stages. We are a very big team and should be there.”
