Size doesn't matter: Paul McGowan

What a breath of fresh air Paul McGowan's performance was today.

The almost forgotten man of Celtic Park started his first ever competitive match and there was only one contender for the man-of-the-match award.

At 22 and with his contract expiring at the end of the season McGowan's career is at a crossroads with today's display likely to provide him with a few other options.

From his first touches in the match when he was looking to pick out Robbie Keane it was obvious that McGowan was determined to make the most of his unexpected opportunity.

It's taken Tony Mowbray a long time to give him his chance but after the match the Celtic boss wasn't slow to praise McGowan's performance.

He said: "I think sometimes young players just need an opportunity and sometimes you have got to be brave and put them in.

"He showed that this arena, this fantastic football stadium, does not leave him short. He grew into it

"Paul trains with us every day and I know what a talent he is. He has great energy and a great little brain for the game and I'm sure he will have a long, successful career."

McGowan has been working away this season with Neil Lennon's development squad scoring regularly from Inverness to Dublin with his last appearance being in the 2-1 defeat at Sunderland on Tuesday where ineviably he scored the Celtic goal.

After today's performance he said: "I only found out on Friday that I was starting.

"I was obviously a bit nervous but I have been playing well with the reserves and training a lot with the first team.

"I've waited a long time for it. I was starting to become disillusioned. In the last month or two I have been there or thereabouts.

"But last week the manager told me that I would be training with the first team all the time.

"My contract is up at the end of the season so hopefully things can turn for the better.

"There was some talk a couple of weeks ago (about a new contract) but nothing yet. I will have to keep going.

"You can't ask for any more than learning from players like Robbie Keane. I like to play just behind the main striker but I'm happy to play anywhere.

"I would like to have capped it off with a goal but I'm just happy that the team won. The result matters more."

There has never been any doubting McGowan's ability as a footballer, both as a goalscorer and as someone who can link play up and ping passes about that others don't have the vision for.

But making the breakthrough as a striker at Celtic must rate as one of the hardest taks in football.

Since he made an 18 minute substitute appearance against Inverness Caley Thistle in September 2008 McGowan has been waiting on the sidelines behind almost a dozen strikers with only a loan spell at Hamilton Accies last season giving him a taste of first team football.

At 5 foot 7 most managers will have reservations about McGowan's ability to cope with the physical demands of the game but unlike Paul Caddis the strikers stocky frame and impressive close control gives him an obvious advantage.

Today's Celtic line up seemed to be tailored specifically to get the most out of McGowan who responded in style and although he failed to get a goal he'll feel that today's performance took him over a major obstacle.

With Keane as the sole striker backed up by Aiden McGeady, McGowan and Marco Fortune there was a new dynamic to the way that the team played.

St Johnstone never looked capable of putting Celtic under pressure but that shouldn't detract from the display of McGowan and the attacking options that Celtic carried.

Beating Falkirk, Kilmarnock and St Johnstone isn't particularly praiseworthy but if Celtic had slipped up in any of those games the criticism would have been fierce.

It'll be interesting to see how the side fares over the next couple of games with McGowan's role of extra importance.

Official Sunderland website report on reserve match with Celtic, McGowan very prominent

The first time McGowan was named as a substitute v Aberdeen May 2006