I WAS SO DESPERATE FOR CELTS START I ARRIVED BEFORE CLEANERS

AS a Hearts player Paul Hartley felt like he was constantly being taken to the cleaners.

Yesterday he clocked in to his new place of work before the cleaners had even arrived. So desperate was the Scotland star to begin life as a Celtic player he could not sleep after completing his £1.1million transfer late on Wednesday night.

Instead, he lay awake counting down the hours until he was able to report for his first day’s training.

Hartley turned up at a deserted Celtic Park yesterday at breakfast time an hour before his new teammates were scheduled to arrive. By lunchtime the 30-year-old had completed his first session
with Gordon Strachan’s champions but still appeared to be struggling to get to grips with the reality of realising his childhood dreams.

“I haven’t slept,” Hartley admitted when asked to sum up the emotions which have been whirling around his insides since Wednesday morning when Celtic’s bid was accepted.

“I didn’t sleep a wink last night. After getting the deal done all I could think about was
turning up for training.

“I was so excited I was first in the dressing room this morning. There was no one else around so I just met the kitman and got sorted out with all my gear and my squad number.

Then I had a blether with some of the lads. I must admit, I was pretty nervous – there’s no doubt about that.

“But the players have made me feel so welcome. I trained this morning and I really enjoyed it. It was a great tempo. I feel as if I’msettling in and I’m just so glad I’m finally here.

“Yes, it was a nerve-wracking experience for me but I’ve had my first training session so it’s time to move on.

“It was only a training session but you just get a bit worried about everything. It’s like
starting a new job – I think everybody worries about that kind of thing. The good thing for me is I know some of the lads and that helps.

“But it’s all about coming to a club the size of Celtic. I’ve been a Celtic supporter all my
life. So to play for your boyhood team is a dream come true.

“I must admit, I didn’t think it would ever happen. In 2004 Celtic came in for me and the
bidwas rejected. I was on a bit of a downer after that and handed in a transfer request. I thought the chance had passed me by but I’m just grateful to the manager for having faith in me. It’s up to me now to repay him and show the supporters I’m a good player.There is a lot of competition for midfield places but the one thing I can do is work hard and show I’m a good player.

“I’ll try to impress the manager and hopefully I’ll be involved. I’m available for Sunday’s cup match at Livingston and it would be great to be involved at some stage.”

Strachan, it seems,will not require much convincing. Indeed,much like the new boy, Celtic’s manager was almost beside himself with excitement at this twist of events.

He said: “If you’d asked me three months ago if we would end up with Pressley and Hartley in our side I wouldn’thavethought it possible. For a manager it is reassuring to have two players like that on your side.

“Paul will bring everything to our midfield – energy, goals, personality – these are qualities you can’t ignore. Once we found out there was a chance we could get him there was no question we wouldn’t.”

Strachan cannot quite believe Hearts afforded him the opportunity to snatch Hartley on the last day of the transfer window.But then there is little reason to the way in which Vladimir Romanov has gone about his work at Tynecastle.

And it was the Lithuanian’s dictatorial methods which eventually sickened Hartley to the core. He was even forced to pen a document guaranteeing his silence before Romanov would allow him to enter into signing talks with Celtic.

But, chosing his words carefully, Hartley said: “Sometimes you lose a wee bit of heart. There were things that went on which, like I say, I can’t go into.

“But coming here has given me a new challenge. I’m just desperate to do well.

“It’s difficult for me to talk about what went on at Hearts because there have been certain things signed with confidentiality clauses. I can’t go into detail.

“I had a fantastic three and half years there and there are some great people there – coaching staff and players – I’m still very close to. But when the opportunity came to sign for Celtic it was one I couldn’t miss.”

Now Hartley can concentrate on what lies ahead and even patch up a relationship or two.He has a new set of fans to win over and also a captain with whom he has not always enjoyed the warmest of relationships.

Hartley’s on-field rivalry with Neil Lennon has been intense,heated and often blatantly bad tempered.

Asked what the Irishman said to welcome him to Paradise yesterday Hartley smiled and said: “I’m not talking to him! No, Neil and I have had some good battles over the years but we are teammates now. We’ll battle for each other to win matches.

“I’ve had some great games against Celtic and I know what it’s like to run out here as an
opposition player. I’m just looking forward to doing it as a Celtic player.”

Taken from the Daily Record