CHRIS Burke has predicted that James Forrest’s football intelligence and vast experience will prove invaluable to Celtic during the final cinch Premiership games of the season and tipped the winger to have a major influence on the Scottish title race.
And the former Scotland internationalist believes Forrest has, despite not playing for his country since the Euro 2020 defeat to the Czech Republic at Hampden in 2021, a good chance of forcing his way into the national squad for the Euro 2024 finals in Germany this summer if he does so.
The ex-Rangers, Cardiff City, Birmingham City and Nottingham Forest wide man, who is now the reserve team coach at fourth-placed top flight outfit Kilmarnock, has not been at all surprised to see the 38-times capped 32-year-old come to the fore in the Parkhead club’s games in the past two months.
The Ayrshire-born wide player did not make a single first team appearance in January or February – but he has performed superbly since returning to the fray in March and has scored important goals against St Johnstone and Dundee in the Premiership and Aberdeen in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup.
Burke feels Forrest, who has won 22 major honours during the 14 years that he has spent playing for Celtic, will continue to be a danger man for Brendan Rodgers’ men in the remainder of the 2023/24 campaign even though he lacks the explosiveness he had when he was younger.
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“He will have a huge influence,” he said. “It is great that he has come back in. I played in a similar position to him so I know he is an intelligent footballer. He doesn’t really rely on his pace.
“The older you get, you probably lose your pace, everybody does. But he is so intelligent, he can find spaces anyway, whether it is a one-two or a double movement. He has got the quality to finish a shot off left or right foot or cross left or right foot. Out of possession he is very good.
“I am delighted for him because he has a difficult year or so for the last year or so. I think that maybe he didn’t fit the system that (former Celtic manager Ange) Postecoglou played. But he is currently showing what a good footballer he is.”
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Burke made seven appearances for Scotland during his playing days and helped, after scoring a double against Bulgaria on his international debut, the national team to lift the Kirin Cup in Japan back in 2006.
He has been hugely impressed by the job which his old Kilmarnock manager Steve Clarke has done with his country since succeeding Alex McLeish five years ago and celebrated with the Tartan Army when they qualified for Euro 2024 with two matches to spare last year.
But he thinks that having a fit and on-form Forrest in the 26 man squad can improve Scotland’s chances of getting results in their Group A matches against Germany, Switzerland and Hungary and reaching the knockout rounds of a major tournament for the first time in their history next month.
“I hope James finishes the season strong,” he said. “If he does, it gives him the chance to give Steve Clarke a headache. James will probably be thinking along those lines as he goes into the final games.
“He does offer something a little bit different to what the rest do and he offers experience. The ones who have been picked have done well, but I do think James offers something a little bit different to the rest of the wingers.”
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