Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has thanked Arsenal and Celtic boss Martin O’Neill for giving him the chance to pull on the green and white Hoops.
Oxlade-Chamberlain’s goalscoring Celtic debut was a dream start to his Hoops career and here, the midfielder explains why O’Neill and Arsenal were pivotal in making the move to Paradise possible.
Oxlade-Chamberlain told Celtic TV, “Yeah, it means a lot [the debut goal]. I have to say a big thank you to everyone at Arsenal.
Are you happy with Celtic’s decision to sign Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain?
Comment why you voted for the answer you selected
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain of Besiktas celebrates after scoring the first goal of his team during the Turkish Super League derby match between Galatasaray and Besiktas
Credit: Getty Images/ Seskim Photo/MB Media
“They all know, I’ve spoken to them, for giving me the chance to keep my fitness up. And then an even bigger thank you to the manager here in this football club for giving me the chance to put on this kit and play for this amazing club.
“When you get those opportunities, you just want to be able to pay back with moments of quality like that.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain takes in a Celtic press conference after the Livingston win.
Oxlade-Chamberlain admits he’s still ‘got a lot to offer’ Celtic
At 32, the former Arsenal man is entering the twilight of his career, but Oxlade-Chamberlain promises he will still be able to perform at the highest level.
The Celtic midfielder continued, “It’s been difficult and sometimes the way things go in football, especially when you cross that 30 years of age barrier, you’re maybe not as valuable as you once were in a business sense of things.
MORE CELTIC STORIES
“But I always knew I still had a lot to give. Training every day for the last 3 months where I was training, that sort of gave me the confidence in that sort of environment that I can still offer a lot to the game.
“And yeah, I’m absolutely delighted to be here and have the opportunity to do that and help these boys and tonight is a great start for me.”
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s impressive Celtic debut stats
According to Fotmob, Oxlade-Chamberlain was one of the best players on the park in Celtic’s win over Livingston.
And that was despite playing just over 12 minutes for the club:
Rating: 7.03
Minutes: 12
Passing: 6/9 (67%)
Shots on target: 1/1 (100%)
Accurate long balls: 2/2 (100%)
For just a 12-minute cameo, the midfielder’s impact was incredible and kept Celtic’s title defence intact.
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox