Celtic loanee reflects on 'hectic' Deadline Day while looking forward to midweek SPFL Premiership grudge match
The Hoops defender has returned to Motherwell until the end of the season.
After much-deliberation between Celtic and Motherwell on his future, Stephen Welsh has broke his silence on the transfer saga as The Steelmen prepare to host Rangers on Wednesday night.
The Celtic defender spent the first half of the season playing at Fir Park and was an integral part of a high-flying Motherwell side, who are currently only five points behind Celtic in the table. With The Hoops light on numbers at the back, Martin O’Neill recalled Welsh from his loan spell, however throughout the January window there was speculation that this was just for a quick fix.
After the former Scotland under-21 International featured for Celtic in their wins over Auchinleck Talbot and Falkirk respectively, he has now been farmed out to Lanarkshire again, with the loan switch being finalised just minutes before the window closure on February 2nd. After their Scottish Cup clash with Aberdeen was postponed, the 26-year old is now gearing up to face Rangers in his first game back in a claret and amber jersey.
Welsh lifts lid on ‘hectic’ Deadline Day
The defender told Sky Sports: “It was right up until the last few minutes (the Motherwell move). It was a hectic day and there were a lot of fifty-fifties of will it happen or will it not? But I was just happy to get it over the line. What's important for me is to go and play for the rest of the season, especially with how good we have been. It is a wee bit difficult because you kind of don't know where you are going to be.
"Because we've had such a good few months, I was itching to get back. When I went back there (Celtic), I wasn't really playing and it can be difficult. But the conversations between the manager here and at Celtic were good, they were very open and honest. Although it did go up until the last few minutes, I think both parties are happy with how it ended up.
"Pretty much from when I went back into Celtic it was fifty-fifty on whether I would come back here. I can only thank the club for waiting and pushing away other targets. It was down to the manager and the board at Motherwell to come and get me again and I am very grateful that they held on."
Rangers ‘edge’ gives Welsh extra incentive for midweek clash
Jens Berthel Askou’s side will take on Rangers under the lights at Fir Park on Wednesday night in a repeat of the season’s opener. Welsh has been part of a Motherwell side that’s kept nine clean sheets on the bounce at home and insists he’s ready for the challenge that Danny Rohl’s men will bring.
He continued: "It's no secret how big the game is on Wednesday. Obviously when Celtic or Rangers come to Fir Park it's massive for the club but this one has got a wee bit of an edge to it. We performed really well at Ibrox and came away disappointed that we didn't get something out of the game. The points gap is a lot tighter than everyone thinks so to go and get a victory on Wednesday night would be massive for us.
"It's not really spoken about to be honest (finishing in the top three). It's an old cliché in football but we will take it one game at a time. We've had the disappointment of having the last two games cancelled so everyone is raring to go against Rangers."