SOUTHAMPTON legend Matt Le Tissier is glad former team-mate Scott McDonald's confident approach has been rewarded with success at Celtic as the pair prepare to be reunited.
McDonald will return to St Mary's next week for former team-mate Claus Lundekvam's testimonial as Scottish football's top gaolscorer – just five years after being released by Southampton.
The Australian refused to give up on his dream of playing
at the top level in British football and resurrected his career during a successful spell at Motherwell. That convinced Gordon Strachan, the manager who freed him at Southampton, to shell out £700,000 for his services and McDonald repaid him with a 31-goal debut season at Celtic Park.
Le Tissier is keen to be reunited with the striker, now 24, who impressed him with his determined attitude as a youngster.
"I knew Scott when he was a young, cocky Australian trying to make his way," Le Tissier said. "He's done really well for himself and it will be good to see him again.
"He never struggled in having confidence in his ability, and with that kind of attitude, you thought he would make it. He's done brilliantly to work his way up the way he has and has got himself a cracking move.
"I saw he just signed a new contract in the summer as well, so I am chuffed to bits for him and I have so much respect for the way he has gone about it."
Le Tissier is also looking forward to Strachan's return to Southampton and will pull on his boots against Celtic a week on Friday. "It'll be a first for me and Claus himself, who really had his heart set on getting Celtic for his testimonial," said the former England international.
"Gordon was his favourite manager and he really wanted to play against Celtic and have a special night for his last game.
"I had my last nine months as a pro under Gordon as well and I am just happy that I didn't have to endure one of his pre-seasons – which are quite legendary.
"That was probably Claus's best spell during his career and people have a lot of respect for what Gordon did in his time down here."
The full article contains 383 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
