Celina Loving Life at Town
Monday, 6th Nov 2017 06:00 Blues loanee Bersant Celina says he’s loving life at Town with his team-mates at Portman Road ”the best guys [he] has ever played with". The 21-year-old, who is on loan from Manchester City for the season, netted a brilliant sixth goal for the Blues in only his sixth start in all competitions, in addition to seven sub appearances, to seal Saturday’s 3-0 home victory over Preston North End.
“I’m really pleased for myself to score, also for the team and all the fans,” Celina said afterwards.
“I saw the opportunity as the full-back wasn’t there and just went for it. As soon as Jordan [Spence] played the ball the only thing on my mind was to go for it and score. I love to score goals and I’m happy I’m doing that right now.”
Contrary to speculation, Celina, who spent last season on loan in Holland with FC Twente, says he's throughly enjoying life at Portman Road.
“I really love it here at Ipswich,” he insisted. “These are the best guys I have ever played with — they are amazing. They are all really good friends and it’s is such a good team to play in. I’m really happy and in a really good place right now.
“It is unusual [that a team are such good friends], that’s why I say it is the best team I have been in.”
Town’s first goal came via a Martyn Waghorn freekick with the decision to hand the Blues’ eight-goal top scorer the ball perhaps a surprise after Celina’s excellent set-piece strike at Burton last week.
“Martyn felt confident about the freekick so I said to take it,” the Kosovo international added.
“We’re never going to argue about that sort of thing. He’s a great freekick taker and he proved it. I trust him and he trusts me.
“As for Joe [Garner], he’s amazing. I’ve never seen anyone his size fight against big defenders and win headers like he does. That’s why he plays every week.
“If we play like we did today and keep working hard then we’re going to win games and push for the top six.”
The Blues ended Saturday in seventh, just a point off the play-offs, but Middlesbrough’s 1-0 win at home to Sunderland on Sunday saw Town drop to eighth, now two points away from the top six.
“There is not a lot between fourth and seventh and if we keep grabbing wins we will get there,” the Norway-raised attacker continued. “It is good we have a lot of different goalscorers.”
Celina, who has scored in each of his last three games, confirmed last week’s ambiguous ‘two months until new year. Can't wait’ tweet had nothing to do with football, but admitted to frustration earlier on in his spell with Town and says he spoke to boss Mick McCarthy when he wasn't so regularly involved in the first team.
“Of course I have been frustrated because I love playing,” he said. “I have spoken to the manager about that and I understand some of the reasons he did not play me so much.
“He is trusting me a lot more now and I really appreciate that and just want to do well. It helps when I score every week. It makes everyone happy, I’m happy now.”
Celina, who has previously won eight full caps, scoring one international goal, will spend the next fortnight with the Kosovo U21s squad, who are playing European Championships qualifiers at home to Israel on Thursday and in Azerbaijan on the following Tuesday.
“I have two games coming up with my national team and I will take them first and look forward to coming back. I will be here as long as I can be — I’m happy.”
Regarding the Town support, with whom he has quickly become a hero, Celina added: “I really appreciate the fans, they can see I’m giving everything.”
Preston skipper Paul Huntington felt there was little in Saturday’s game until Waghorn’s opener in first-half injury time.
“There wasn’t much in the game until they scored,” he said. “We missed chances and that’s been the story of late.
“We will be a lot better when people get back fit. Having seven or eight defenders out doesn’t help then we lost another, [Darnell Fisher].
“Any team would struggle with that many players and out and the game ran away from us in the second half.
“I have never known anything like this. It is pretty much two back fours out injured. What can we do though? We just have to get on with it.
“The international break has come at a good time for us and we will try and get two or three players back for the Bolton game.”
Meanwhile, Town's U23s are in action against Aston Villa in the Premier League Cup at Portman Road this evening with midfielder Emy Huws expected to be involved as he continues his recovery from his achilles injury (KO 7pm).
Photos: TWTD
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MickCuresInsomnia added 15:27 - Nov 6
Whatever the majority of us think about Mick's style of football we need to be fair to the guy, especially if he conjures up a good working environment for the lads.
Work rate and looking after your mate on the pitch can sometimes overcome a superior playing 'style'..........sometimes anyway.
Bersant, I hope you feel so loved by the lads it inspires you to 20 goals & 30 assists this season 😉 |  | |
Seasider added 16:47 - Nov 6
Bersant is pleased to be here,and we are certainly very pleased to have him.
Two of our best players this season are from overseas Bart and Celina,and I thought Jonas and Kevin Bru were also good on Saturday.Think that is the most we have had in the past 5 years;and long may it continue .Haven't included Didsy (Eire) who again is one of our better players.
Feel that the squad is stronger this year,and if the shackles are removed from Webster,who like Mick thought he had his best game on Saturday;with the return of Adeyemi and Huws we could have a half decent season. | | |
Cloddyseedbed added 17:12 - Nov 6
Yep and nearly everyone is happy your here too! ;) | | |
happybeingblue added 17:33 - Nov 6
i really like this guy and these are the sort of players itfc have been crying out for years and pay £ to watch and be entertained,the type of player who gets you off your seat! ,its been a barren few years since the likes of bobby petta graced the hallowed turf :) and his goal celebration v burton just adds to his reputation here, shades of the great hermann celebrating by diving in the north stand end :) KEEP IT GOING BERSANT |  | |
Taricco_Fan added 18:43 - Nov 6
I'm very happy you're here, too! An excellent player whom will go on to have a good career at a top flight club somewhere in Europe, if not in England. We're lucky to have him.
Mick's reasons for not getting Celina involved so much in the early games are perhaps understandable, but it was always clear that he's got talent above and beyond anyone else in this team. Just would have liked Mick to be a little less cautious with this player.
But he's here now and is a delight to watch. Surely un-droppable. |  | |
cranky_old_tractor added 20:18 - Nov 6
Top player and hopefully surplus to requirement at Man City. Would be great to have ITFC sign him but I know that is a pipe dream......sad to think this way but wish we could be more competitive for this type of talent. | | |
rock added 21:17 - Nov 6
Bloody hell lads happy clappy brigade out again, they all seem to go quiet when we lose though at then end of the day Celina is a top player and should be starting every game he gives us the extra attacking threat we didn't have last year, The harsh reality is Chambers must be dropped he's a great captain but panicks on the ball and flynn must start as he controls the game passes out from the back him and skuse would be a decent midfield IMO |  | |
Currie10 added 21:40 - Nov 6
After reading many a comment, I have to question whether many people on here have ever played footy whatsoever and have any understanding as to the game/ team spirit.
Playing a loose cannon with an attitude problem will do nothing for the team.
Making Celina prove himself, and cut out the basic errors - now look at him. Flying. Glowing comments from him about the place and reaping the rewards.
Perhaps, and this is just a slim %%%, Mick actually knows what he's doing.
Also, it's all well and good these comments about Mick's replacement - however we're doing fine thank you very much this season and have a chance of achieving something. Sure, Mick won't be around forever however Celina loan, Garner + Waghorn for around 2 mill is an outstanding piece of business.
You have my blessing this season Mick. |  | |
Sam added 06:33 - Nov 7
And we are loving life with him. | | |
midastouch added 09:24 - Nov 7
This is a great article. Great to hear Celina sound positive about life at Town. If he continues to put in exciting performances then hopefully the gates might pick up again. I am reading some of the above comments with interest. Respect Mick has plenty of backers as well as detractors. Mick must be frustrated about the gates dropping under his watch as I'm sure his brief from the club is to try and get more fans back in through the gates. Even when we were flying high at the start of the season the numbers through the gate weren't as high as the club would have hoped given our lofty early position. I'm not sure if there is a direct correlation between Mick's style of football and the dropping gates (although I suspect it might be) but I would have thought there would of been more fans earlier in the season where we were close to being top of the league. If you can't get more in during such a run then that has to be a long-term worry for the club. If we got a new manager then there is a good chance the attendances might spike initially but if the form of the new manager was no better (or perhaps worse!) how long would it be before the attendances were back down say from 20k to nearer 15k? I do remember going to watch Ipswich vs Bury when we had Jason Dozzell back on loan (which sadly got cut short from Burley after he learned Jason went to visit a local night club if my memory serves me right) and the attendance was only about 8,000 I think! I was gutted when Dozzell had his loan cut short as he looked quality that day, is was like welcome back Jason, we've missed you! And that day a certain David Johnson was playing for Bury too. I'm pretty sure we won 2 nil and I came away thinking of Dozzell hangs around the gates should start to pick up again. So Mick isn't the first manager to have to battle with falling gates. Burley managed to turn it around but I'm not sure if Mick will. Obviously if we stay in the play off picture when it gets down to the business end of the season the gates should almost certainly pick up but obviously that's a big if.
Next question, if we are in the play off mix still come January (let's hope so!), does Marcus back Mick this time with some extra transfer funds? Remember last time we were well in the hunt, when it came to January Mick's transfer cupboard was unfortunately bare and I think he deserved backing that season as we were in a great position to have a real crack at promotion. This could be Mick's last roll of the dice so come January if we are in any sort of position to challenge I do hope he goes and knocks hard on Marcus' door and asks firmly for some extra backing as that might make the all the difference between say 6th or 9th or 10th! |  | |
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