Balikwisha arrived at a turbulent moment for Celtic, signing just after the Hoops\u2019 disastrous Champions League exit to Kairat Almaty.<\/a><\/p>\n This shouldn\u2019t be held against the 24-year-old \u2013 had he been brought in earlier, his transition period would\u2019ve been smoother and he could well have contributed to changing the result in that fixture.<\/p>\n Instead, he had to make his debut at Ibrox,<\/a> and has started just once since. Amid debate over his best position, the manager who gave him his debut has offered an interesting take.<\/p>\n Philippe Montanier tells Celtic fans Michel-Ange Balikwisha\u2019s position<\/p>\n Philippe Montanier has managed across Europe in the 21st century, from Rennes to Real Sociedad to Nottingham Forest.<\/p>\n Whilst at Standard Liege, he handed a teenage Balikwisha<\/a> his first senior appearance.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Ex-Celtic man reflects on the Brendan Rodgers brunch visit that convinced him to sign<\/a><\/p>\n Montanier is enjoying something of a victory lap after Ousmane Dembele\u2019s Ballon D\u2019Or win \u2013 the 60-year-old helped bed him into senior football as a youngster in Rennes.<\/p>\n And remarkably, Montanier sees similarities between the two. Speaking to the Scottish Sun,<\/a> he explained the comparison, and his thoughts on Balikwisha\u2019s position.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cMickey is good technically and has the capacity to play different roles. He can play left or right, and I also used him as a central\u00a0striker\u00a0quite a lot when I coached him.<\/p>\n \u201cMickey was good in that position because he also has the intelligence to drop deeper and play behind a No\u200a9. He has a high IQ when it comes to\u00a0football, and people always asked what his best position was.<\/p>\n \u201cThat can be a problem with versatile attacking players. They can help in various roles and they ended up playing all across the front line.<\/p>\n \u201cPersonally, I like Mickey as a No\u200a9 where he can score\u00a0goals\u00a0and press from the central area, a little like\u00a0Ousmane Dembele.<\/p>\n \u201cI coached him at Rennes when he started out, and he then went on to play a lot as a winger for different clubs. However, I felt Ousmane always had the qualities to be a central attacker and he is showing that at PSG now.<\/p>\n \u201cMickey\u2019s best position could also be through the middle because he has the pace, workrate and the intelligence to link the play. It depends on what the Celtic manager\u2019s philosophy and game plan is, but he can definitely be successful in that role.\u201d<\/p>\n Could Michel-Ange Balikwisha be a striker for Celtic?<\/p>\n Celtic\u2019s attack has been playing musical chairs since the end of the transfer window.<\/p>\n Sebastian Tounekti<\/a> has seemingly nailed down the left-wing position, but this leaves Daizen Maeda<\/a> and Balikwisha in an awkward situation.<\/p>\n But Montanier\u2019s suggestion is an interesting one. In Maeda, the Hoops already have someone who has played across the front-three this season.<\/p>\n![\"FBL-EUR-C3-CRVENA](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2236796124-1024x670.jpg\")
Photo by PREDRAG MILOSAVLJEVIC\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n