Ronny Deila was in charge at the time, and he had begun to prefer Mikael Lustig at right-back. Adam Matthews, who had joined Celtic in 2011 and played a key role in the team’s successful period of winning league titles and competing in Europe, decided to sell him as his contract was about to expire in 2015.
Celtic accepted an offer from Sunderland, which surprised Matthews. While playing in the Premier League presented a new challenge, leaving Celtic was not something he had intended. He stated that he had been in preliminary discussions regarding a new contract, but those talks had not progressed. Instead, he found himself on his way out, with little time to consider his decision.
Looking back, Matthews made it plain he would have preferred to stay. He praised Lustig and appreciated the manager’s decision, but stated he was not ready to leave.
Later, in 2019, when Neil Lennon returned as manager, there was some interest in re-signing Matthews. The move did not happen, although Matthews stated that he would have leaped at the opportunity.
He told RecordSport, “I didn’t want to leave, to be honest. I was not the number one choice. I believe Ronny favoured [Mikael] Lustig, which is fair enough.
Lustig is a fantastic player who has done extremely well for Celtic. So, I didn’t want to leave. “Obviously, Sunderland came in and provided a new challenge in the Premier League. So, even though I hadn’t planned to relocate, it seemed like the ideal time.
“It occurred swiftly, to be honest. “I went home one day, fell asleep on the sofa, woke up, and had missed calls from my agent saying Celtic had accepted a bid.”
And I was right down there. So it happened really rapidly. I did not have much time to think about it. But I didn’t really want to leave Celtic. I enjoyed my time there.
So that was bittersweet. I wasn’t excited to go, you know? I chatted with Ronny a few days before Sunderland arrived, and he stated they expected an offer. I told him I wasn’t planning to leave. We were partially talking about the new contract with Celtic.
Matthews has a deep relationship with Celtic. He joined the team as a young player and developed into an essential member of the club. His quickness and drive down the right made him a fan favourite.
He played for Neil Lennon and helped the squad dominate the league during that time. But in football, everything moves quickly. With new players joining and managers making changes, some players lose their positions. That’s what happened to Matthews. Lustig was chosen first, and Matthews was left to consider his options, even though he did not want to go.
The relocation to Sunderland provided a different type of test. The Premier League was more competitive, and the stakes were higher. But even when he left, Matthews never concealed how much Celtic meant to him. His exit, which came so swiftly and with no time to examine other options, is clearly lingering on his mind.
When Lennon expressed interest in 2019, it appeared that the door may open again. But no arrangement was reached, so Matthews went on. Nonetheless, his statements demonstrate a great regard and love for the club, as well as a distinct feeling of unfinished business that, unfortunately, will not be completed.
Leave a Reply