Luis Palma

Have just scored for 1-0

 

Probably a better player than Balikwisha..

 

An assist for Honduras last night, seems to be in a much better place now.

 

Bring him home

 

No

Skickat från min SM-F956B via Tapatalk

 

He’s definitely better then Yang anyway

 

Luis Palma’s Celtic career offers a reminder of how quickly promise can fade in Glasgow. The Honduran winger once looked like Jota’s natural successor, only to see injuries and inconsistency derail his progress. As Sebastian Tounekti enjoys the glow of a standout debut, Palma’s tale shows how one good game is only the start.


The Tunisian winger enjoyed an impressive debut for Celtic, delivering a player-of-the-match performance at Rugby Park in the 2–1 Scottish Premiership win over Kilmarnock on Sunday, a result that kept the champions top of the table ahead of Hearts on goal difference.

It was a strong start for Tounekti in green and white. However, one promising display does not make a Celtic career. Palma is living evidence.

The Honduran wide man, currently on a season-long loan with Polish side Lech Poznań - who hold an option to buy - had a highly productive first year at Parkhead in 2023/24. He registered 12 goals and 13 assists following his £3.5 million move from Aris in Greece.

Celtic supporters had hoped they’d finally found a suitable replacement for Jota, who had just exited to Saudi Arabia after his first spell with the Bhoys.

Champions League goals against Atletico Madrid and Feyenoord helped Palma carve out a burgeoning reputation as a winger of substance, capable of delivering on the biggest stages.

Despite those impressive numbers in the goals and assists columns, Palma didn't fully convince that he could be trusted to lock down the left-wing position, despite a breakout campaign that he still recalls fondly.




Palma tells The Celtic Way, “My first season at Celtic, that was nice. Everything seemed to go well in that first campaign. I scored 12 goals and had 13 assists. It was a very special season because it was my first year abroad and I enjoyed it a lot.

“That goal against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League came when I felt I was at the peak of my career. It was the first goal of my life in the Champions League, and it was very, very special. Scoring it for a club like Celtic, in front of 60,000 supporters, was a dream come true.

“That first season at Celtic was great. I felt very, very good, and I really enjoyed playing because I was contributing with goals and assists.”




Palma firmly believes that injuries robbed him of the chance to elevate his Celtic career to the highest levels. His game time was reduced and ultimately curtailed.

The harshest critics argued that Palma could be overly individualistic, often trying to inflate his personal image over team cohesion. Tricks, flicks, frills and spills may entertain - but too often, Palma flattered to deceive.

The beginning of the end arguably came during a match against Ross County in January 2024, when Palma was denied by Staggies goalkeeper George Wickens after hitting two nearly identical, lackadaisical penalties. Celtic scraped to a 1–0 win over the Highlanders, but doubts began to set in.

In March 2024, Palma suffered a muscle injury in his right leg while playing for Celtic. This led to an extended period of rehabilitation.

He missed four crucial Celtic games, including a Scottish Cup quarter-final, and was unable to join Honduras for a Copa América qualifier that same month.

Palma was loaned to Olympiacos for the second half of the 2024/25 season, having made just 12 appearances (mostly from the bench) in a difficult campaign.

Palma said, “I got injuries at Celtic, and it cost me a lot. The second season is hard for me to talk about because that’s when things started to go sour.

"Despite the setbacks, I always stayed focused. I trained every day and worked hard to be ready if the manager needed me.

“I made the difficult decision to leave Celtic because I wanted to go out on loan and play regular first-team football.”

Palma insists he still enjoys a strong relationship with Rodgers, even if the Irishman didn’t play him as much as he would have liked.

He still refers to Rodgers as “gaffer” and revealed he formed a close bond with assistant manager John Kennedy, affectionately known to the Honduran as “Kendo.”

Palma remains philosophical and harbours no regrets about how his Celtic career unfolded, though he will always remember how the fans treated him.

"I’ve got a great relationship with the gaffer, and the same applies to Kendo," the winger explained. "They were very, very special people in my career. From the moment I arrived at Celtic, they made everything feel good and positive.

“I still miss my teammates, the staff, and training with the squad. They’re all good guys, and I wish them every success.

“I was very happy at Celtic and I enjoyed my time at the club immensely. If it hadn’t been for the injuries, who knows what might have happened?

“I love Celtic, and I’ll be a supporter for life now. The fans were incredible. I can’t thank them enough for how they treated me. I want to thank them for everything.”

On a brighter note, Palma is beginning to settle into life in Poland and is earning positive reviews for his performances so far.

In 10 appearances, he has scored two goals for Lech Poznań, who currently sit eighth in the Ekstraklasa table. Although, like Celtic, his loan side were also knocked out of the Champions League in the qualifying rounds.

The Polish side fell 4–2 on aggregate to Red Star Belgrade in the third qualifying round, then were eliminated 6–3 on aggregate by Belgian side Genk in the Europa League play-off, dropping into the Conference League.

Palma said: “I’m enjoying life in Poland a lot. The city is good and very beautiful. The team is also very good, and I’m happy here with my family. Everything is okay.

“I scored my first goal for Lech Poznań quickly, which got me off to a perfect start. That goal meant a lot to me because I’d been waiting for that moment since leaving Celtic.

 

Nice guy. If he had better work rate it could’ve worked out a little better for him here.

 

Social media * and maybe a little attitude problem. Had decent ability but didn't suit our system.
Wish him well...at other clubs