STUART Armstrong is generally a better footballer than an interviewee, rather ironically when you consider that he might be the first football player in history to be tapped up by a comedian and talk show host.
This quietly-spoken, undemonstrative, 25-year-old was quietly going about his breakout season at Celtic when James Corden - the Gavin & Stacey creator whose Late, Late Show, famed for its Carpool Karaoke sketches, is all the rage in US television these days - shared a video montage of his highlights on Twitter and urged his beloved West Ham to sign him up this summer.
"Someone sent me it, yeah," drawls Armstrong, with the merest hint of a smile. "It’s just something you have got to laugh at, a bit of humour. It’s always nice to see these things. There was a little bit of humour from the boys about it."
Read more: Stuart Armstrong: I couldn't be happier at Celtic and contract talks will look after themselves
Armstrong is sitting in a dressing room at the club's Lennoxtown training ground, having effectively gained his second piece of silverware of the week, the Ladbrokes player of the month award for March adding to the Ladbrokes Premiership title which he claimed against Hearts on Sunday. Three further goals this month have taken his league tally to 12, before you even consider his seven league assists, which were augmented by the rapier-like pass on his international debut which allowed Chris Martin to claim a priceless three points for Scotland.
This is a positive, happy time, for the player, light years away from a tricky period early in his Celtic career where he grew a frustrated figure being deployed on the left of a front three under Ronny Deila. He is playing the best football of his career, growing in confidence and poise by the week under a manager in Brendan Rodgers who believes in him and has managed to get the best out of him. As he freely admits, he couldn't be happier. He has broken into the Champions League and international arenas and would surely be daft to give that up.
Yet, perhaps it is the legal training - the studious Armstrong famously put himself through an Open University law degree in his spare time - but press conferences like these still have the air of a deposition to them. Perhaps what is holding him back is the lack of resolution on the ongoing discussions over his contract extension, with the player set to enter the final year of his deal this summer.
Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised if there is still an air of caution in Armstrong's voice. It wasn't so long ago, after all - say the 2-0 friendly defeat to Inter Milan at Thormond Park, Limerick in mid-August - that Armstrong appeared fated to be a member of Celtic's fringe squad at best. It was into September and even October before his break-out season got going in earnest, his progression coming about so quickly that the club are likely to field no shortage of enquiries from interested parties in England waving life-changing money in his direction.
Read more: Stuart Armstrong: I couldn't be happier at Celtic and contract talks will look after themselves
Having gone much of his career without an agent, Armstrong may have a lot to weigh up this summer and will be happy to have one. "A lot of things are said about different agents but sometimes they just let you focus on playing football, which is the most important thing," he said.
Armstrong, who admits to getting frustrated and introspective during his time under Deila, can point at any number of turning points in his personal narrative. As early as his first training session with Brendan Rodgers, a discussion was had about what the Northern Irishman required from a central midfield player. The 25-year-old idolised Frank Lampard as a youngster although whether the former Chelsea youth coach ever mentioned that name will remain confidential. Incidentally, Armstrong is likely to move back to a deeper midfield role following the return of Tom Rogic from injury and feels that No 8 position is most suited to him. “The words were clear and the picture was clear," he said. "That was a relief in a sense. It was satisfying knowing that we could work towards that. I’m not sure Lampard’s name ever came up but he is a hero of mine.”
Grabbing his first goal of the season, and the fifth goal against an unbalanced and helpless Rangers team in the 5-1 match in September, was another red letter day, as was a star turn in the League Cup semi-final against the Ibrox side and keeping his shirt for the following midweek against Ross County. "I felt I took that opportunity and that was at the start of just coming into the team on a regular basis," he said. "I have managed to be there or thereabouts ever since.”
He will be there or thereabouts for the player of the year awards, although team-mates like Scott Sinclair, Scott Brown and Moussa Dembele might just steal the show. He will settle perhaps for the breakthrough player award, and maybe a part in only the fourth treble in the club's history. Who knows, having captained Scotland's Under-21 side in a demoralising 6-0 defeat against their English counterparts at Bramall Lane a few years back, he may yet get to round off his season in style against their full side at Hampden on June 10. "It’s obviously a huge game but we will have to wait and see if I am part of it," says Armstrong.
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