Luis Palma on downturn in form after his spectacular start at Celtic

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The Celtic Star

·3 de julio de 2024

Luis Palma on downturn in form after his spectacular start at Celtic

Luis Palma has been speaking about his first season at Celtic to RadioHouse Media while back home in Honduras.

The winger arrived on a £3.5million move from Greek side Aris last summer and in his own assessment started well but saw his form dip. Now ahead of the new campaign Palma is determined to get back to his best and earn himself a regular starting place in Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic side.

Luis Palma of Celtic celebrates after scoring their team’s first goal during the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic FC and Feyenoord at Celtic Park Stadium on December 13, 2023. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

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“I joined Celtic and had a spectacular first few months. However, every footballer has his downturn. I have to be aware of that and I have to be realistic with myself. I have to look in the mirror and tell the truth,” Luis Palma admitted.

“I have an obligation to play a better role than ‘good’. But the final few months of the season were better for me. I always carry a saying with me — ‘Never give up until you reach your best version’. I will never give up trying to fulfil my dreams,” he added.

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Luis Palma celebrates after he scores his team’s second goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on October 07, 2023 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“In Greece, there were also bad moments for me at the start. Not everything was good but you need to have resilience. If you are having a difficult moment at any time in life, this is the case.

“You need resilience to know everything will get better. One of my former coaches, Francisco Pavon, once said to me, ‘Luis, the complicated thing is not getting there, it’s staying there’.

“I’m working hard. I am very happy to be at Celtic and I want to stay here and keep taking steps. I always say to young players who want to have a career — work hard and show humility and discipline.”

Lionel Messi (L) has a shot blocked by Celtic’s Honduran defender Emilio Izaguirreduring the UEFA Champions League group C football match between Celtic and Barcelona at Celtic Park in Glasgow on November 23, 2016. (Photo PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Palma of course is not the first player from Honduras to play for the Hoops and Celtic cult hero Emilio Izaguirre was a hugely successful and much loved player during his spells at Celtic.

At Celtic, you have to win all the games and all the cups. Emilio set the bar very high. He won many titles,” Palma acknowledged. “When I arrived at Celtic, I didn’t arrive as a stranger as they already knew about Honduras because of him. The truth is I never imagined being in this position.

Emilio Izaguirre with his children meets the fans and celebrating Celtic winning the 2013-2014 Championship after the Scottish Premier League match between Celtic and Ross County at Celtic Park on March 29, 2014.. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

“I imagined being a footballer and well, God’s blessings were greater than we thought. It’s an honour to be in this position and I always keep my feet on the ground as I carry the name of Honduras at the highest level in Europe.

“It’s an incredible club with so much history. When I arrived here, on the first day I realised how great this club is. We are the champions, we play in the Champions League and we have an incredible staff and coaching team.

“My team-mates and the fans are also incredible. The atmosphere at the games is crazy nice. You feel the support and they never stop shouting for the entire match.”

Luis Palma after scoring against Feyenoord at Celtic Park on December 13, 2023. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)

“The Champions League was incredible. You feel a difference for those games. There is pressure but that was my dream when I was growing up. I told my mum, ‘Someday I am going to play in the Champions League’.

“I will never forget the goal against Atletico Madrid. When the ball fell to me in the box, I didn’t see any of my team-mates, I didn’t see anyone! I only saw the goal frame and when the ball rebounded off the post to go in, it was beautiful.

Luis Palma celebrates after scoring during the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic and Atletico Madrid at Celtic Park , on October 25, 2023. ( (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)

“It was the best goal I have scored in terms of the sensation and feeling that I got from it. But my favourite goal from last season was against Ross County, when I scored from outside the box.

“I am very grateful to the Celtic fans for their support.”

“Being able to speak English is very important. I took classes in 2018 but I stopped them and said, ‘This is boring’. Now I regret that! I went to the United States to play in 2019 and I started learning again, but we had a lot of Spanish-speaking players too.