KASPER HOGH fired blanks as Celtic toppled out of the Champions League following a shocking performance against LASK in Austria during the week.
However, the club’s £11million-plus record signing hopes to have the Hoops fans smiling again, starting this afternoon in the Premiership encounter against Falkirk at Parkhead.
As Martin O’Neill’s side dropped into the Europa League, Hogh’s former club Bodo/Glimt once again won through to the league stages of Europe’s most prestigious tournament.
The 25-year-old Danish striker, whose goals for the champions have been condensed into a first-half hat-trick in the 5-1 win over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park, insisted he has no regrets about making the switch.
HAVE A HEART…Kasper Hogh celebrates his hat-trick in Celtic’s 5-1 win at Kilmarnock.
Hogh said: “No, I’m a Celtic player now. I’m so happy for Bodo doing well, but I’m a Celtic player and it is what it is.
“Full respect to Bodo and congratulations to them. Somebody has to qualify, somebody has to fail.
“We have to learn and I have to work for it, so we can do it another time. That’s my focus.
“I’m so thankful to play for this club. The Europa League is still big for me, I’m just a boy playing football and we’re going to play some amazing teams.
“Celtic is a big club, you can do everything you want to and believe in, you just have to do the work. So, of course, we have big ambitions and dreams.”
Hogh and his team-mates now have Europa games to look forward to against Marseille, Ferencvaros, Celta Vigo and Besiktas at home with trips to Benfica, Union Saint-Gilloise, Omonia Nicosia and Torreense.
Reflecting again on the dramatic collapse in Linz. Hogh, speaking to the Daily Record, continued: “Of course, I’m disappointed. And I fully understand that all the fans and everybody else is disappointed.
“But we have a new day today and I’m thankful for that.
WHAT A HAT-TRICK…thumb’s up from Kasper Hogh.
“And we’re going to put on the boots and then we’re going to show what we’re made of.
“You always want to compete against the best. Full respect to LASK for doing their job and qualifying, but we have to look at ourselves.
“There was a lot we could build on and do better. We tried our best, but, of course, you can always see options afterwards. It’s easy to say now. We’re going to work on that.
“There was something missing or wrong. I felt we could have played more, but that’s easy to say after than when you’re in the moment and you’re struggling and you don’t see clear.”
Hogh added: “Of course, a club like Celtic wants to compete in the Champions League.
“The boys have shown a good character and, of course, I hope I can help people smile again.
“The other thing is a past now. We have to learn from it, but we have a game today and, hopefully, you will see the boys are ready.”
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