Ntcham, Olivier

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Fullname: Jules Olivier Ntcham
aka: En-Cham, Cham, Olivier Ntcham
Born: 9 February 1996
Birthplace: Longjumeau, France
Signed: 12 July 2017 (est £4.5m from Man City, plus addons)
Loan out: 1 Feb 2021 (loan with €5m option to buy for Marseille; not taken)
Left: 31 Aug 2021 (free)
Position: Midfielder,
Debut: Celtic 4-0 Linfield, European Cup, 19 July 2017
Squad No.: 21
Internationals: Cameroon
International Caps: ? [complete at end of career]
International Goals: ? [complete at end of career]

Biog

“At Celtic, you want to win every single thing you play in. You are expected to win, and I like that attitude.” Olivier Ntcham

Oliver Ntcham arrived at Celtic as another one of those marked as the next big thing by Premier League sides, this young player had a lot to prove to himself amongst others.

Celtic were on a high after the incredible domestically undefeated treble season of 2016-17, and surprised everyone by paying a relatively hefty price tag for this young starlet. Some of the early words on his arrival were positive about his potential, and after the success of Dembele in the past season was it asking a lot to hope he could mirror that Dembele debut season? Possibly a bit too much to ask for. The cursed comparison to a big name player was a burden he couldn’t live up to initially, but he was to make a name for himself, albeit often inconsistently.

He had a tough start, but Olivier Ntcham truly arrived at the vital qualifier match v Astana. He was bought for these occasions; he was fabulous, his touch, strength & eye for a pass, superb performance. It appeared that Celtic had bagged a superb player.

However, he had much to learn, as a really poor performance from Ntcham v Anderlecht away saw a wayward performance highlight his weaknesses, but it didn’t affect his long-term commitment and he grew into his role in the midfield alongside Scott Brown and others. One big issue was his penchant for long range shots which he was fond of; there were some good goals but 99% of them ended up nowhere near the target and seemed a little irresponsible so needed work on.

Over the season he grew into his role and soon was lauded as Celtic pushed towards a back-to-back treble. Excellent performances against TheRangers in trouncing their over-rated sides, put Ntcham at the forefront. If anything, he had proven to be a talent ahead of his years, and alongside Scott Brown was a bulwark in the first team. As Scott Armstrong was out injured, it provided Ntham the scope to cement his position, and that he did, although there was squad rotation.

As Celtic marched on towards the treble, it was clear what it all meant to him. He was clearly happy at Celtic, and was showing his worth, and was to extend his contract. He was developing and growing as a player. He had some fight, great skill and needed just more experience.

One key landmark came in January 2018 when Celtic defeated Hearts 3-1 in another match that pushed Celtic to the domestic treble. The three scorers were Edouard, Dembele and Ntcham. All three were of African descent (albeit now playing for European national sides), and of differing religious beliefs, and no one batted an eyelid at Celtic. The three were highly regarded, and were key players in the first team. In some ways this moment sealed the transition over the past few generations.

Season 2018/19 though was a difficult season for him, not helped by that he was lost due to injuries for spells in the season. However, he carried on as he had begun including scoring the winner v TheRangers in a 1-0 victory in September 2018, followed by a red card in his next match v St Mirren. After that his general form and demeanour seemed to be below par, and there were concerns over him. In various matches, he could be a lost place in the side, which surprised all. Problem also were that he was looking disinterested. Especially with Scott Brown getting older and requiring support and then the loss of Rodgers as manager, it really needed Ntcham to step up, but the general consensus is that his effort was lacking.

Possibly you could be cynical and say it was as Celtic failed to make the Champions League group stage. Others were putting it down to a supposed small French tight knit clique at Celtic and with Dembele gone, the unit was a little weaker and less interested. Edouard also was seen as underperforming his talent in his second season but he was still performing sufficiently. Ntcham was seen as out-of-sorts. He possibly hadn’t settled enough and his head was elsewhere.

His inconsistency was frustrating as all knew he had a great capability to hit greater heights with Celtic. Maybe he saw Dembele and felt he should be up there with him, but with all due respect Dembele was far ahead of him and had proven himself first in Scotland, then in the Champions League with Celtic, and with the French U21s; Ntcham hadn’t as yet done that.

As Celtic marched onto the incredible record domestic Treble-Treble, Ntcham was increasingly seen as peripheral, and junior members of the squad were jumping ahead in the queue, which was concerning.

Celtic were often a much better, fitter, stronger, more intelligent, more creative team when Olivier Ntcham starts but it needed Ntcham to find his feet. The loss of manager Brendan Rodgers prematurely leaving during the 2018/19 season didn’t help. Maybe he had developed a lack of confidence in his teammates.

In July 2019, Ntcham had an interview with French magazine L’Equipe fishing for a move away, criticising Scottish football but in fairness not Celtic. He claimed the lack of quality is Scotland was hindering him:

“Celtic brought me a lot, it’s the best solution for my development. Games come one after the other, but with the respect I have for my opponents, if the level isn’t high you don’t progress, I was disappointed I didn’t go to Porto last summer”

You can see an argument, but he was not always performing to his potential best, and Scottish football hadn’t hindered Tierney, Van Dijk or Dembele who all had achieved far more than Ntcham. It was premature from Ntcham, and as he had not wholly succeeded at Man City or at Genoa (loan spell in Italy) he should have been more aware that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Maybe the success at Celtic had made him a bit blasé about the realities of football elsewhere.

Many though were arguing that he was by far the best midfielder in Scotland, and if Celtic were to achieve nine & ten league titles in a row, then an in-form Ntcham was vital. Yet, Celtic achieved nine in a row but Ntcham wasn’t strictly a key figure. There was no doubt that he had skill on the ball and foresight, but his heart often didn’t seem wholly in it.

In fairness, the premature departure of Rodgers and the arrival of Lennon as manager likely didn’t whet his appetite, as Celtic’s collapse in 2020/21 proved.

He was to become mostly a peripheral figure when he should have been centre-stage, but once David Turnbull came on the scene, Ntcham was further down the pegging order for starters. This was troubling for him and Celtic, and although Celtic went on to complete the historic quadruple treble, for many he was not a central player in that final treble triumph. He should have been dominating matches and taking responsibility, not sitting on the bench.

He was in a difficult area of being too good to be a reserve but not performing well enough to be a consistent name for the first team. He was a better player than most at Celtic, but to win a place you need more than just talent; commitment and effort are much required.

It shouldn’t be seen negatively overall, as at his best he was a star performer but frustratingly he was too inconsistent, but the support really did want to take him to heart. Neil Lennon was a poor manager in his second stint, and in truth there was next to no one who developed under Neil Lennon. The club started to move into turmoil (on & off the field), not helped by the Covid crisis, and players such as Ntcham were suffering as a result, although he could have helped the club as much as the other way around. A better manager would have got so much more out of Ntcham, and everyone would have benefitted.

If you were to pinpoint one particular highlight (and his most iconic moment), then there is little better than in the away Europa League match v Lazio in December 2020. Celtic were in the Europa League group stages and were facing Lazio, a club whose support has a disturbingly large far-right sympathising support historically, unafraid of doing one armed salutes and racist chanting. When in Glasgow, a cortège of their support walked through Glasgow’s city centre doing one handed fascist salutes and abusing passersby. Celtic won that home game, but the return match was always going to be tougher. No Scottish club side had won away in Italy in European competition matches, but Celtic were on course for qualification through to the knock-out stages.

After a fraught start, Celtic had battled to level at 1-1, and then Ntcham was subbed on late. A bad pass by a Lazio player gave the ball to Edouard who slipped the ball through to Ntcham who in an impossible angle, perfectly chipped the ball above the approaching goalkeeper, to score a last minute goal and send all the Celtic support into raptures, and you could see the joy in Ntcham’s face which said it all. Ex-footballer & now analyst Stan Collymore commented:

“A black Muslim scored the winner for Celtic, witnessed by the Fascist Ultras of Lazio. Sometimes, God really does shine his light in some fantastic ways. ‘Un buon fascista è un fascista morto'”.

For a black African Muslim to score the winner that sunk that club with a fascist following was sublime, and was to be reshown repeatedly over the remainder of the season. The goal & moment showed his talent and ability, and there should have been so much more like this. It created history with Celtic having won both matches v Lazio, no easy task against an Italian side. It was claimed that Celtic at one point turned down an offer of around €15m for Ntcham in 2018 in belief he could help propel the club to the coveted ten-in-a-row. It was a risk worth taking for some, but others will argue back and forth whether it was in retrospect a good or bad move, or was it all the fault of the manager.

One interesting story on Ntcham was that one day he went for Muslim prayers at the large central mosque in Mossend (Bellshill). One of the senior elders in the mosque (the founder/general secretary of the mosque), unaware of who Ntcham was, decided to approach Ntcham to make him welcome by inviting him to join the others for food & chat, only to be pleasantly surprised to find Ntcham was a Celtic player rather than a local labourer as he first thought.

A fine moment to have a Celtic player at the mosque, and it truly meant at lot to everyone there. Rather than being some celebrity visit, he was humbly there to pray alongside his fellow man. Changed days since the humble beginnings of that mosque from a room above an electric repairs shop in Holytown (Lanarkshire), and a sign of the development of the cross-section of attendees at the mosque, for many years practically all immigrant blue-collar shopkeepers or take-away owners/workers with their children. It is difficult to explain in words alone what it meant to the regulars at such an out of city mosque.

Despite any difficulties in his perceived attitude, he had played a fine part over what was a golden era with some classic starring roles at pivotal points during that period. He had talent and ability. A better manager than Neil Lennon could have carried on that development, but it wasn’t to be for Ntcham. If anything, the statisticians appeared to show that Ntcham was being mismanaged & misused on the pitch, although in fairness players must adjust to suit new strategies.

Those who could see the bigger picture could see someone who had grown & developed at Celtic, and he had offered much in his time at the club. He has been generally a very decent man, but he had spat the dummy out which sadly will mark him down for many.

Marseille spell

Marseille submitted a loan offer for the unsettled midfielder with a signing option of €5m, which was completed on 1st February 2021. Many were annoyed at the low valuation, but Ntcham was out of the picture for so long anyhow; it was expected to be a possible bargain purchase for Marseille. Ironically, he was moving to Marseille just a few days after their fans had caused huge havoc and trouble outside their club’s training ground due to recent results. So jumping out of the frying pan into the fire from one underperforming club to another.

Bizarrely, Marseille manager André Villas-Boas announced in a press conference the day after Ntcham’s loan signing that he offered his resignation to the Marseille board, although later said that the offered resignation was before Ntcham was signed.

Andre Villas-Boas was sacked by Marseillie within hours of the press conference, with wits at Celtic claiming that Ntcham had managed in 24 hours at Marseille what he was unable to do at Celtic for the last two years! Ironically André Villas-Boas had previously been linked with the Celtic job before opting for his move to Marseille.

“Management didn’t give me final say on things. I don’t want money, I just want to go. The club has been through two or three years of just doing anything on transfers and I don’t want to accept that.” (Andres Villas-Boas)

Ntcham’s short time at Marseille was a failure and he was an easy whipping boy for some French match reporters. Reports on him were highly caustic, but he deserved a bit more leeway after only being given a handful of match appearances to prove himself. The situation with the management wasn’t his fault.

“All you have to do is watch the behaviour of the former Atlético Mineiro manager. He was on the verge of a stroke every time the ball went towards Ntcham’s feet.” (French newspaper sportswriter on Ntcham)

Regardless of anything else, Ntcham deserved a lot better than the treatment he received at Marseille. It was a no-win situation.

Back to Celtic

The impasse between the player and club was not wholly resolved, and it was better to part ways. His heart was clearly on wanting a move away. It didn’t help when it was falsely reported on social media on his initial return that his contract was being ended early.

By mutual agreement the two parties did end up deciding to call it a day, and Ntcham was freed from his contract. An ignominious end to his time at Celtic.

It was disappointing to see but a clean break may have been for the best, with some behind the scenes difficulties likely contributing to this stalemate.

It is fair to argue he was a mismanaged player on the field by Neil Lennon but a player has to adapt too. Both sides were going to lose out.

We wished Olivier Ntcham the best. He left the Celtic support with some special memories from his time which should be remembered above all else. That winning goal v Lazio will continue to be replayed over & over again for many years to come. The victories have a resonance far beyond that of the scoreline alone.

Technically a great player who needed greater application to make it further in the game.

Post-Celtic

He went onto become a regular at Swansea in the second tier,  albeit with various reports commenting not too dissimilarly the frustrations with him as some Celtic fans had opined when he was in Glasgow. Nevertheless, he had a decent record with them.

In 2023, he then moved on to Samsunspor (Turkey) aged 27, when (with all due respect) at this stage he really should have been playing in a higher environment, when you take in the precocious talent he had in his early days.

Despite that, in December 2022, he had one incredible experience after being subbed on in the final group match for Cameroon v Brazil in the Qatar World Cup group stage, with Cameroon winning 1-0 against the odds with a late winner. Alas, it was to all be in vein as other results meant they finished in third place in the group (so not progressing to the knock-out stages), but for Ntcham a deserved proud moment to have still got to play in that match.

[….]

Playing Career

Honours with Celtic

• 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20
  

Scottish Cup

• 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20
  

Scottish League Cup

• 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20

Pictures

• Player Pics

KDS

• Signs for Celtic (2017)

Articles

The Herald July 2017

TITLES, trophies and medals are a part of it. The adulation from the supporters and a sizeable wage also help. Celtic have a raft of incentives they can wave under the nose of potential signings these days but the possibility of playing in the Champions League remains the biggest carrot of the lot.

Olivier Ntcham admits as much, too. The 21 year-old, who completed his transfer from Manchester City yesterday for a fee in the region of £4.5m, signing a four-year deal, is enthused about the prospect of playing for a side competing for silverware after spending the last two seasons on loan at relegation-threatened Genoa.

His friend and long-time French team-mate Moussa Dembele has also told him about the Celtic fans and the warm reception he can expect. But it is the notion of playing in Europe’s premier club competition that has proved the biggest lure for the midfielder as he looks to kick-start his career after two largely frustrating seasons in Italy.

Granted, it is not guaranteed. Celtic will need to scrap their way through three increasingly difficult qualifying ties just to reach the group stage. Should they manage it, however, then in a few months’ time Ntcham could find himself lining up against sides of the calibre of Barcelona, Bayern Munich or Real Madrid. For a young player hoping to make a name for himself in the game, it serves as a colossal incentive.

“What persuaded me to come here? The Champions League,” he revealed. “Not every player can play in this competition and that is why I came here. I never had the chance to play Champions League football in my career before. I have heard that it is unbelievable to play in and that is what I want to do with Celtic.”

Ntcham does not expect to feature against Linfield in the first of those qualifying rounds but feels it will not be be long before he starts to make an impact. Describing himself as a “box to box” midfielder, the France under-21 player believes he has a versatility that allows him to perform either just behind the centre forward or in a deeper-lying role. “I like to play more [forward] on the pitch but I can play all of the central midfield positions as a number 8, 6, or 10. I am a strong, physical player.”

One of Brendan Rodgers’ main attributes last season was drawing more out of players with untapped potential. Ntcham is confident the Celtic manager can do the same for him. If Italian football, and Genoa in particular, did not play to this strengths, then Rodgers has convinced him he will be enjoy greater success in the Scottish game.

“The manager spoke to me and told me that the Italian league did not suit my style of football,” revealed the one-time Le Havre prospect. “He felt that it was not the right fit for me because it was more tactical and everything was different.

“The manager believes that I would be best suited to the Scottish game and the way Celtic play. I learned a lot of tactical stuff in Italy. It has made me a better tactical player because in terms of tactics Italy is the best football place in the world. And we did running…a lot!”

Ntcham did not struggle for role models as a young lad growing up on the outskirts of Paris. Zinedine Zidane was the most obvious midfield influence, while more recently he has followed closely the journey taken by Paul Pogba.

“When you see French players being successful you want to be like them,” he added. “Zidane was my hero and my example to follow growing up. I played against Juventus three or four times when I was in Italy. I enjoyed playing against Pogba when he was there because he is also French and we had good battles in the midfield.

“I like the way he plays and he is someone that I try to copy in my style on the pitch. When I arrived at Le Havre, he had left to go to Manchester United for the first time. But we came through the same youth system.”

Dembele, of course, is another familiar face, the pair having played together in the youth teams of the France national side since they were teenagers.

“I have known Moussa and played with him since we were 14 years old in the national teams,” he revealed. “He has told me about the atmosphere at Celtic Park and that the fans are unbelievable. He also told me about the Rangers games here in Glasgow and how unbelievable they are as a player.”

The reported £4.5m fee is one of the biggest outlays by Celtic in recent times but Ntcham is not fazed by the level of expectation that may bring.

“No, the money does not put pressure on me,” he said. “For me, it makes me happy because the club is showing a lot of faith in me.

“When you buy a player, you buy him because he can do big things on the pitch. I hope this is what I can show for Celtic. The money is not a problem. It is a challenge and I am looking forward to it.”
http://www.heraldscotland.com/Ntcham_reveals_Euro_vision

The Sun July 2017:

HE’S the most expensive Celtic signing in a decade — but Olivier Ntcham insists he’s not under extra pressure to perform. It’s ten years since the Hoops last wrote a cheque for £4million.

Back then it was used to bring a certain Scott Brown along the M8 from Hibs.

Yesterday, that same fee secured the services of Ntcham from Manchester City on a four-year deal.

Midfield powerhouse Ntcham, 21, is Brendan Rodgers’ third signing of the summer.

He won’t play against Linfield tomorrow night but the Frenchman is desperate for his new club to reach the Champions League group stages again.

Ntcham said: “No, the money does not put pressure on me. For me, it makes me happy because Celtic are showing a lot of faith in me.

“When you buy a player you buy him because he can do big things on the pitch. I hope this is what I can show for Celtic.

“The money is not a problem. It is a challenge and I am looking forward to it.

“I like to play more advanced on the pitch, but I can play all of the central midfield positions.”

Ntcham follows Jonny Hayes and Kundai Benyu as the new Parkhead arrivals this summer.

He has spent the last two seasons on loan at Genoa, and leaves City with three years still left on his contract.

While convinced he has what it takes to play in the Premiership, Ntcham was quick to reveal the main reason behind his move to Glasgow.

He added: “The Champions League was the main factor. Not every player can play in the Champions League and that is why I came here.

“I’ve never had the chance to play at that level before.

“I have heard the Champions League is unbelievable to play in, and that is what I want to do with Celtic.”

Rodgers has been a long-time admirer of Ntcham, having first spotted him while in charge of Chelsea’s youths.

With hopes fading that Patrick Roberts will make a Parkhead return, the Hoops boss didn’t hesitate to raid City for another of their rising stars.

Ntcham revealed: “I spoke to the manager, and he told me the Italian league did not suit my style of football.

“He felt it was not the right fit for me because it was more tactical and everything was different. Brendan Rodgers believes I would be best suited to the Scottish game, and the way Celtic play.

“I am a box-to-box midfielder and a strong, physical player. I always play like that.”

Ntcham is excited at the prospect of linking up again with fellow Frenchman Moussa Dembele.

The pair played for their country together at Under-14 and Under-15 level.

Ntcham said: “I spoke to Moussa Dembele and Dedryck Boyata before I joined Celtic.

“Moussa told me it was great to win everything, and he is happy here. I have known him and played with him since we were 14.

“He has told me about the atmosphere at Celtic Park, and that the fans are unbelievable.”

From fighting relegation battles with Genoa to the prospect of titles and trophies at Celtic.

Ntcham admits his world has been turned upside down following his move to Celts.

And as well as protecting their Invincibles tag, he hopes to help the Hoops progress further in the Champions League.

Ntcham said: “I learned a lot of tactical stuff in Italy.

“It has made me a better player because in terms of tactics Italy is the best football place in the world. My fitness is not good enough for me to play straight away yet, but my body weight is good. I am looking forward to the challenge. Everything is different here with Celtic.

“In Italy, when you play for Genoa you know you are not going to finish in first position.

“The big clubs with the most money finish in that position.

“At Genoa you know the main thing is to fight to stay in the league every season.

“But at Celtic, you want to win every single thing you play in. You are expected to win, and I like that attitude.

“The team won everything last year, and the challenge is to do the same again. It is a very exciting challenge to join a club who were unbeaten last season. I hope we can do it again.”

Ntcham savoured Genoa’s Serie A derby against Sampdoria last season, but he admits he can’t wait to line up against Rangers.

He explained: “The atmosphere was great against Sampdoria. But Moussa told me about the Rangers games and how unbelievable they are.”
https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/ntcham-4million

Why Celtic fans are rightly excited about Olivier Ntcham after one game

By Craig Fowler
Friday 21 July 2017

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/celtic/why-celtic-fans-are-rightly-excited-about-olivier-ntcham-after-one-game-1-4510411

The £4.5million signing from Manchester City made his debut against Linfield on Wednesday night and already has the Parkhead support waxing lyrical about his abilities, as Craig Fowler writes

A signing cannot be judged on one game. Even the most reactionary of fans should know that. However, supporters will always rest easier when a new signing’s debut goes smoothly, especially when he’s the most expensive signing the club have made in a decade.

Olivier Ntcham will face many tougher opponents than Linfield. In fact, with all due respect, there’s a chance every opponent he faces this season will be tougher than the part-time side from the Irish League. Therefore, one must refrain from anointing him as the next big thing to come to Scottish football. And yet, it must be said, he looked pretty damn impressive during his first 60 minutes in a Celtic shirt.

The Frenchman started the match as part of the midfield two in Celtic’s unorthodox, but no less effective, 3-1-2-3-1 formation. Though his partner may have been Callum McGregor, it was Scott Sinclair whom he regularly interacted with during the match. Last season’s Player of the Year was tasked with keeping the shape of the side, and therefore he stayed wide more often than we’re used to see from the predatory midfield who loves to drift into central areas. It was Ntcham’s job to feed him the football.

In order to do so, Ntcham would often drop a little deeper, almost alongside sitting midfielder Scott Brown, and pick up possession before moving it swiftly on. Some new signings can disappear into the background of games, unsure of how to make an impact amid a team of unfamiliar faces. Ntcham was the opposite. He wanted the football.

Once in possession, he would knock a five or ten-yard pass to a team-mate in space. Linfield sat so deep that it wasn’t hard to find another hooped shirt in the vicinity. He did, however, show off a bit of range with two crossfield passes in the opening period, both of which found their targets in the gap behind the full-back and the byline.

What became quickly apparent about Ntcham’s style was the quickness in which he wanted to move the ball. It was control, touch, pass. Control, touch, pass. Fellow midfielder Nir Bitton has often been criticised by Celtic fans for slowing the tempo down too much, almost being too composed with the ball at his feet. From initial impressions it doesn’t look like Ntcham is going to be that sort of player.

What he does like to do is have a pop at goal whenever the opportunity arises. Overall he had six strikes at the Linfield net, though most were either blocked or deflected. This included Celtic’s opener, when Sinclair was alert to a loose ball and finished at a narrow angle.

In addition to his enthusiasm for driving the ball towards goal, Ntcham also showed the ability to take it for a run when the timing was right. Showing deceptive quickness for someone with such a robust frame, he beat two players on a Celtic counter attack around the 40-minute mark before winning a foul 30 yards from goal. Earlier in the half he coolly, under pressure, dummied the ball and ran around his opponent to keep an attack going.

In the end, he played a significant part in all three goals scored while he was on the field. There may have been an element of luck in two of them, but in football you make your own luck sometimes. The urgency in which he struck the first shot caught the Linfield defence cold, and they were unable to deal with it properly. And his pass for the third may have been wayward, but he showed great drive and intuition to take the pass, move it quickly and then dart into the open space.

It was an encouraging hour and left Celtic fans in great anticipation for what’s going to come next.

Blunt advice Celtic star Olivier Ntcham opens up on his upbringing which could have seen the game lose him to BREAKDANCING

The £4million ace expects his mum to be bursting with pride when she watches him walk out at the Parc des Princes on November 22

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/1467547/olivier-ntcham-celtic-psg-champions-league-breakdancing-basketball-advice/

By Derek McGregor
AS a ten-year-old, the only hoops Olivier Ntcham was interested in were basketball ones.
Only blunt advice from mum Anne Marie stopped him from abandoning football.

No wonder the Celtic star now expects her to be bursting with pride when she watches him walk out at the Parc des Princes on November 22 to face Neymar, the world’s most expensive player, and his PSG pals.
Ntcham made it clear in the aftermath of group-stage qualification in Astana that he’d love to play his childhood favourites in the glitziest club competition in the game.
And after getting his wish via the Champions League draw in Monaco, the £4million ace opened up on an extraordinary upbringing which could also have seen the game lose him to BREAKDANCING.

Paris-born Ntcham is thrilled with the idea of testing his ability against £198m man Neymar.
He said: “It’s a very exciting draw and I’m happy because I wanted to play against PSG.
“I come from Paris. It’s special for me because when I was young I was a big PSG fan.
“I always follow the transfer stories — PSG have again spent a lot of money!
“It’s the first time I’ll have played against their first team. My hero as a kid was Pauleta, the striker. I loved him when he was on the pitch.
“I have two friends at the club — central defender Presnel Kimpembe and midfielder Adrien Rabiot — and I played against them when we were younger a couple of times.
“I watched PSG games on the television but I was never able to see them at the stadium.

“All my family are in Paris. It’s too early for them to have been in touch, but I know they will be very excited.
“It will be very emotional for my mum and dad to see me play at the Parc des Princes. They will be full of pride.
“When I was young, I was in Canada for two years. I wanted to stop playing football to play basketball instead.
“But my mother said, ‘No, you don’t stop, you must continue playing football.’

“So it will be emotional for her now. I was ten or 11 years old. I feel I owe my mother a lot because of her telling me to stick with football.
“I was very serious about stopping football. In Canada, we didn’t play outside because it was too cold. We played five against five indoors and, after two years, I wanted to stop. But she said, ‘Don’t stop’.
“She never watched me play football, but for some reason she just felt I had to continue playing. I’m glad I did.
“I only started playing football when I was ten years old. Quite late, yes, but before that I was a breakdancer. It was between breakdancing and football.
“I performed with my older brother. He still does it. I also liked boxing a lot.
“I used to breakdance outside, in front of people, putting on shows in the streets.
“I’ve not shown my dancing skills here yet — I haven’t even told my team-mates.”

Asked if he would celebrate with a bit of breakdancing if he were to score a winner against PSG, he laughed: “I’d hope to do that!”
Bayern Munich and Anderlecht make up a stunning Group B for Celtic — and Ntcham has a friend and hero in the Germans’ squad.
He said: “I know Kingsley Coman because we played together for the national team.
“Franck Ribery is a player I have always admired a lot. It is incredible how his career has developed. In France, we have an academy but he didn’t come through the academy level.
“He went elsewhere, played a lot of football and got a move straight to Marseille. Then he went to Bayern Munich.
“The way he came through was a lot harder. He has been a big inspiration for me.”

Celtic are viewed as the section’s underdogs — but Ntcham refuses to write off their chances of qualifying for the last 16.
He said: “This is a big part of why I’m here and it was my target because we weren’t sure if we would go through. My first target has been achieved, so I am happy.
“Anything and everything can happen in football. Even if you spend £400m on a player, every other player on the pitch has to fit around them as well.
“We don’t have a target — we will just go out on the pitch and play.”

Oliver Ntcham – Upside down, oh you turn me, inside out and round and round

By Editor 6 July, 2019 No Comments

Oliver Ntcham – Upside down, oh you turn me, inside out and round and round

SO why the sudden outburst from Olivier Ntcham? First came the social media slight on teammates as he headed for the Under 21 Euros with France at the beginning of last month. That was in the midst of interest from Lyon, Marseille and Porto some of which looked real. All of which went quiet when it was reported Celtic were looking for 15 million for the player.

Today Olivier is quoted in L’equipe…“Games came one after another but with respect to my opponents, if the level isn’t high, you don’t progress,” he said.

“What could be the perfect stage for me? A big championship: Germany, France, Spain – coming back to France would be something very, very good,” he added.

“The interest of the Marseille? It is flattering. It is a very big club with very big support. If I went to Marseille, I would blossom, I have always signed for clubs with lots of fans.”

“Celtic brought me a lot, it’s the best solution for my development. Games come one after the other, but with the respect I have for my opponents, if the level isn’t high you don’t progress, I was disappointed I didn’t go to Porto last summer”

Let’s start with his defence. We are aware the Scottish league is not the highest of standards when compared to others and it’s not as if he’s being disrespectful to Celtic as a club when he comments on the standard holding him back, it’s in the opposition he faces and I do get that. Playing against better players regularly probably would improve a player, it’s hard to argue otherwise.

His opinion that he should have moved to Porto in the summer could allude to promises being made. We’ve already seen last season that Dembele initially received short shrift from the Celtic support with his last minute moves and public utterings that smacked of a ticket being worked, but that was before the Brendan Rodgers fallout showed that perhaps his actions were borne of frustration at what he saw as broken promises.

All that said from a professional standpoint it’s a poor show from the player, though if he’s working alone on this I’d be surprised. The comments alone being made so publically will no doubt be dealt with by the Club and so they should. The timing of it 4 days before Celtic enter the first of possibly 4 rounds of Champions league qualifiers is disrespectful to the club and to his teammates again.

The player himself hasn’t shown the consistency of play to even consider himself a first choice at Celtic Park. He’s shown up well in some wonderful matches but he’s rarely followed on. For every derby showing when he scored the winner last season at Celtic Park there’s been an Easter Road where he’d have struggled to pass water if requested, never mind find a teammate with the ball.

If you talk of outgrowing a league then before you comment on it publically at least be sure to have mastered it before you start deriding it. Ntcham has done nothing of the sort.

As for his revelation that he should have gone to Porto last year. Well in November last year he signed a new contract. A contract he was happy to sign, one that tied him to the club until 2022. After Porto’s so called interest in signing him. Why do that if you are so keen to test yourself elsewhere? If you’re angling for a more challenging work environment why not say no thanks for now I’ll be looking for alternative employment in the next wee while. Thanks for the offer anyway.

What’s changed now? Is the real reason for all this that he’s not actually forced his way into the team?

Is he concerned that those in his homeland are likely to be asking that question and why in such a ‘poor’ league he’s not actually imposing himself. Is he worried his CV could be looking damaged?

Ntcham left Man City having failed to make a dent and went to Celtic and failed to influence enough. Doesn’t look good when even his stint at Genoa seemed to lack for consistency.

Blaming his environment as holding him back as if to say he just can’t motivate himself amongst his apparently dreadful peers might be enough for clubs to think perhaps they should take a chance. It may make them believe that he’d blossom if he just had the right environment, where he’d actually be motivated to perform every week?

But here’s the rub. That won’t be at Celtic’s price and panic may be setting in. I’m assuming Celtic have so far been steadfast on what price needs to be met before they agree to talk.

Is this all being engineered? Is the agent and therefore the player aware a particular club will buy? Are they also been made aware the only way that club will actually spend is if the fee is substantially lower than what Celtic want?

So what is likely to bring down the price from the selling club? Possibly one who’s now annoyed his teammates not once but twice since the end of the season and one perhaps who if he did return could spread bad vibes and discontent like the common cold in a child’s nursery.

That may explain earlier interest not being followed up at the price Celtic require. Marseille were interested but lack the financial clout to meet Celtic valuation. It’s already public they need to sell before they buy and interest if ever concrete was unlikely at the asking price.

At Porto and Lyon I could see him around the squad but would he really be considered as a first eleven signing at either? If not are they really going to stretch to 15milion for a squad player? Probably not. How convenient then to have a player in the shop window of a much scouted European Under 21 competition now publically angling for a move. It all smacks of engineering a price drop, with a club, player and agent all working in cahoots.

There’s one other possibility but I think it’s unlikely. That Celtic are in some way complicit in this. The club’s outlay on recent acquisitions could be construed as having assumed Ntcham would be sold to assist the profit and loss columns and that interest has now cooled. It could be a way to drop the price and safe face by saying we had to get rid of an unhappy player. It’s possible but seeing as Ntcham actually started this on Instagram at the beginning of June I’m more inclined to believe this is simply a tactic from agent and player.

So can this be saved, can he stay at Celtic?

If he hangs around for training he may be able to build bridges with teammates. We also know he lost a good friend in the dressing room when Dembele left. Would the likes of Christopher Jullien and Boli Bolingoli help him culturally with some French speakers around him perhaps help him feel a little more settled?

All possible but now probably unlikely. It’s clear he wants out. It may be we have to look at lowering the asking price and give him what he wants. The other alternative is make him train away from the main squad and give him time to think and other clubs time to come in but that’s possibly a tactic that could be detrimental to the harmony of a squad already looking to bed in new players.

For now it’s looking like Olivier Ntcham is in the last throws of his brief and unfulfilled Celtic career. It’s probably best for both sides if we find an amicable solution and move on.

Niall J