GAVE ME WINGS

Celtic ace James Forrest says playing behind great strikers for the past decade has helped stats

BEHIND every great striker there is a great winger.

Yet Celtic assist king James Forrest insists the club’s top forwards have helped him just as much.

The Hoops wide man has scored 89 goals and created 92 in a decade at Parkhead.

Forrest chipped in with 16 strikes and 22 assists last season as he played a key role in nine in a row.

But the Scotland star reckons those stats wouldn’t be as good if he didn’t have the influence of his attacking team-mates.

Forrest had Robbie Keane ahead of him for his 2010 debut and has linked up with all Celtic’s hitmen since.

The 28-year-old insists it’s been a pleasure to operate in the same era as some modern Hoops greats.

Forrest said: “I’ve been lucky enough to play with so many good strikers during my time at Celtic.

“They all help you in different ways to get better and improve your own game.

“Gary Hooper and Anthony Stokes were great players with a real understanding. They linked together really well.

“Georgios Samaras was able to do lots of things. Then you look at the number of goals Leigh Griffiths has scored since signing for Celtic.

“He’s got well over 100. It’s fantastic and he’s still doing it.

“In the past couple of years, we have had Moussa Dembele and Odsonne Edouard.

“All those strikers I’ve mentioned have great strengths.

“And the one thing you’d say about every one of them is they are top-class finishers.

“They could score all types of different goals. I certainly would not like to be the manager who had to pick one or two out of those guys.”

The presence of Dembele and Edouard coincided with the most productive spell of Forrest’s Celtic career.

Both complement his style and helped bring out the best in the winger.

Dembele is now being tracked by some of Europe’s top clubs after a prolific spell at Lyon.

Yet Forrest also classes Edouard as a special talent who produces when it really matters for Celtic.

Comparisons will inevitably be drawn between the two Frenchmen’s qualities due to their background.

But Forrest isn’t interested in that debate — insisting he’s simply happy to have played alongside both.

He said: “I’ve heard and seen a few people trying to compare Moussa and Odsonne as strikers.

“You can’t really do it because they are a different type of player.

“Obviously, Moussa did so well at Lyon, while Odsonne has been brilliant for us.

“Moussa was powerful and quick, while Odsonne’s link-up play is superb.

“Moussa was really good for us when he was here and Odsonne is doing tremendous things for us at the moment.

“He’s really chilled and laidback, but he’s come up with really big goals.

“Odsonne produces big performances and it’s great to have him in the team.”

Forrest has taken some pressure off Celtic strikers in recent seasons with his own goal return.

After a difficult final season under Ronny Deila, he re-emerged in Brendan Rodgers’ reign.

And since Neil Lennon’s return as boss, Forrest has gone from strength to strength on the goal front.

The Celtic star has bagged 51 strikes in his last three seasons alone and he recalled a pivotal talk with Rodgers in 2016.

He said: “There was one thing I particularly remember Brendan saying as soon as he came into Celtic.

“He wanted everyone to play their part when it came to scoring goals.

“The season before he came into the club, Griff had scored 40 goals on his own.

“The next person after that, including myself, was struggling to get double figures.

“Rodgers wanted the goals spread out and the number of other players weighing in has gone up since then.

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“It is important that you don’t rely on one player to score all of the goals.”

That’s certainly not the case for Lennon’s side. Edouard led the way last season with 28 — but it was a team effort.

Forrest was one of five players who hit double figures, with Ryan Christie, Callum McGregor and Griffiths chipping in 43 between them.

Midfielder Olivier Ntcham claimed eight while centre-half Christopher Jullien grabbed seven in his debut season.

Forrest insists that spread of goals from all over the pitch is crucial for Celtic.

He said: “Everyone has to be on the same wavelength and the focus and pressure is not just placed on to one player.

“Going into games, having that spread of goals and the knowledge that various players can step up is important.

“We know that at any given time someone can score when we need it.

“That makes a big difference when you go into any game at any club.”