Celtic striker Giorgos Giakoumakis: 'My season starts now'

Giorgos Giakoumakis scored for Celtic on his return from injury and said the season starts now after a difficult start to life in Glasgow.

The Greek striker joined Celtic in the summer after a prolific spell at Dutch side VVV Venlo but had only scored against St Johnstone in a slow start before a knee injury that required surgery.

After getting back to fitness, he was handed a starting spot in the Scottish Cup tie at Alloa and got off the mark quickly, volleying in from a Liam Scales cross to put his side in front.

With Kyogo Furuhashi injured, and Daizen Maeda heading off for international duty with Japan, there’s an opportunity for Giakoumakis to play a run of games and establish himself over the next few weeks.

After his spell on the sidelines, the striker said he’s treating this as a fresh beginning and aims to deliver more goals for the team.

“It was really a rough time for me,” he told Celtic TV. “I had to stay out, I had surgery but I am back.

“This is the most important thing for me, that I am back, healthy and fit and I can say the season starts for me from now.

“I will give my best in training, try to improve myself, try to be fit again, because if you stay out for a long time, you lose your confidence, your fitness, I will try to gain that back and help my team.

“Of course goals gives a lot of confidence to the strikers. It is our job mostly, to score goals and help the team win games.

“That is my job also and I will try to stay fit and score some goals.”