‘I was a little bit sad Celtic didn’t try to keep me’ – Josip Juranovic opens up on Hoops exit
JOSIP JURANOVIC is sad Celtic didn't pull out all the stops to keep him in Paradise.
The Croatian defender moved to Union Berlin for £7.5m in the winter transfer window after 18 months in the Hoops.
But the spell in Scotland left him with 'one true love' - the club.
He opened up on his emotional Parkhead exit and explained the main reason behind his Bundesliga move - competition for places.
He claimed the writing was on the wall when Celtic brought Alistair Johnston in and the numbers didn't add up in his favour.
He was on World Cup duty with Croatia and wasn't willing to risk losing his place in the Hoops which would have had a knock-on effect to his international ambitions.
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He said: “To be honest I was a little bit surprised. I was playing in the World Cup and preparing for my next game.
"Some of my friends called me and said they’d signed a new full back, what’s your opinion about that?
"I was just putting it to the side and concentrating on the World Cup, as it’s the biggest stage in football and I wanted to perform well.
"In my mind I was thinking, we would have three full backs and someone will be on the bench and someone in the stands with their family.
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“I knew I would maybe not play two games in a row and maybe play the third one. I didn’t like some of that stuff – because of the national team.
"If you are not playing regularly for your club, you won’t get called up for the national team.
"That’s the main reason why I left.”
There are no hard feelings though. Juranovic still holds a candle to Celtic - and his former boss Ange Postecoglou.
Quoted in the Daily Mail he added: "I had a really good relationship with the fans,’ he said. ‘I really loved it.
"It was a tough time to move away, but that’s life.
"I was a little bit sad Celtic didn’t try to keep me as a player there. But that is football. You can’t know your future.
The 27-year-old went on: "I spoke with Ange one week before I moved. We always had an honest conversation.
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"He is a good coach — a really good coach. My 18 months there was unbelievable.
"What can I say about Celtic? It’s one true love."
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