The £5m Parkhead mega flop has rebuilt his career with FC Utrecht in the Eredivise

(Image: SNS Group)

Vasilis Barkas insists he has nothing to prove at Parkhead despite his nightmare Celtic spell.

The Utrecht keeper was a £5m flop in 2020 as the Hoops failed in their bid to land 10-in-row. Barkas has enjoyed success elsewhere and as he gears up for a return tonight in the Europa League he insisted he’s not bothered what Celtic fans think of him now – and doesn’t regret his time in Glasgow.

He said: “No, I have nothing to prove to anyone. I’m here to help my team. I don’t care about what others think about me. I’m here to help my team. No, I have no regrets, because you always learn a lesson. Of course, I came in a difficult period here, coming from Greece, different weather, but I think the biggest problem was the COVID period.

“I never came together with my teammates and to be honest, I never met the country 100 percent. But I don’t regret it.

“It (my performance) was poor, but I think it wasn’t only me that wasn’t at a high level. It’s part of football, you know?

“You don’t succeed in every team you go to, so it’s okay. No regret or something, or something to prove. I’m okay and that’s it.”

Barkas insisted his stint in Scotland wasn’t all bad and he said: “I met some unbelievable guys, some friends, I made some Scottish friends here, and my son was born here, which is the best thing of my life. So I have many good memories.

“When I played for Celtic, it was COVID, it was an empty stadium, but I played once again with a Greek club, so I know there is an amazing atmosphere, so it will be nice to play in front of everyone.”

Celtic’s Vasilis Barkas looks to be on the way out of the club(Image: SNS Group)

Meanwhile Utrecht manager Ron Jans is relishing the chance to go up against Hoops boss Martin O’Neill – and be the younger gaffer.

The 67-year-old Dutch coach said: “I’m looking forward to meeting Martin O’Neill. For me, I think he’s very good with the players.

“When I see him in his suit with the Copa Mundial boots, I love it! But I never met him, so let’s see if he’s nice tomorrow.

“I still have eight years to go and because he’s really old, with all respect! But we played Manuel Pellegrini at Sevilla and he’s also in his 70s. So, you don’t need to be young to be a good coach.

“Martin O’Neill is also the real manager, a good people manager, making a team from all the players together and that’s also what I think is my strength. And we do a lot of the training sessions and the statistics, the dates, everything. We need the young coaches also to do the fieldwork and that’s very important.

“And I think that’s a good role for older coaches and experience is something that can help you.”

Utrecht are playing for pride at Parkhead and Jans was in a light mood ahead of the clash. When asked by Dutch media if he supported Celtic or Rangers he said: “I played together with Jimmy Calderwood (at Roda). He was a great Scottish guy. But he was from the Rangers.

“If you see the history with the Rangers, a lot of Dutch coaches, players. But Celtic is the same.

“For me, Wim Jansen in my age, he won the Champions League in 1970, it was great, Pierre van Hooijdonk…I have no favourites. I said before the draw, I would love to go to Glasgow. And if it’s Ibrox or now Celtic Park, it doesn’t matter to me.

“I want to enjoy the game tomorrow and I hope it’s maybe something like 50,000 people are coming. I hope we are playing a good game.”