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Charlie Christie believes Ryan Christie playing his best-ever football

Since Andoni Iraola came in as Cherries head coach, Christie has excelled in a slightly deeper position, which Christie senior believes has helped to get the best out of the midfielder. And Christie senior is not just a proud parent, with the Scot in charge of Inverness Caledonian Thistle’s academy set-up. Christie junior came through the ranks at Cally Thistle before impressing for Celtic and Aberdeen ahead of a move south of the border in 2021. As quoted in the Press and Journal, Christie senior shared: “I’ll be honest – for three months there, it’s the best I have ever seen him play. “Around 2019 at Celtic under Brendan Rodgers, when he was scoring against Lazio and winning the treble, I thought he had really hit the heights. “In the last year I look back to the game where Bournemouth won 3-0 against Manchester United at Old Trafford. “There were games at Newcastle home and away, and dare I say it the second half against Manchester City where they were terrific and deserved to get something out of the game. “For a period in the game, Ryan was the best player on the park. “When you look at the standard of player he is coming up against now, it’s some of the best on the planet. “He has really taken to it and excelled.” Both Iraola and Christie junior have spoken about how the switch from a more advanced position to a role halfway between a classical number six and eight has reaped benefits for Cherries. And Christie senior agrees, stating: “The manager came in and spoke to Ryan early in his tenure. “What Iraola liked was his tactical awareness of the game. “The manager came out with that quite early which really pleased me, as it’s not said too often, but it’s something I have seen from a young age in Ryan. “He has played in that deeper role, and Ryan talks numbers. He’s a lot more up-to-date than me, but he calls it a hybrid between a six and an eight. “Ryan’s energy levels, and his awareness of the game means he can give you that. “It’s why it’s called more of a hybrid role. He will play as that six but he’s not just sitting there, he will make that run to support the front men when it’s required. “He’s got the legs to do that – and he has done it many times effectively for Steve Clarke (and the Scotland national team). “It seems to suit him. Loads of players are asked to play different roles and can struggle at it, but he has really taken to it.”

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Ryan Christie

Christie senior shared: “I’ll be honest – for three months there, it’s the best I have ever seen him play. Around 2019 at Celtic under Brendan Rodgers, when he was scoring against Lazio and winning the treble, I thought he had really hit the heights. In the last year I look back to the game where Bournemouth won 3-0 against Manchester United at Old Trafford. There were games at Newcastle home and away, and dare I say it the second half against Manchester City where they were terrific and deserved to get something out of the game. For a period in the game, Ryan was the best player on the park. When you look at the standard of player he is coming up against now, it’s some of the best on the planet. He has really taken to it and excelled.”

Both Iraola and Christie junior have spoken about how the switch from a more advanced position to a role halfway between a classical number six and eight has reaped benefits for Cherries.

And Christie senior agrees, stating: “The manager came in and spoke to Ryan early in his tenure. What Iraola liked was his tactical awareness of the game. The manager came out with that quite early which really pleased me, as it’s not said too often, but it’s something I have seen from a young age in Ryan. He has played in that deeper role, and Ryan talks numbers. He’s a lot more up-to-date than me, but he calls it a hybrid between a six and an eight. Ryan’s energy levels, and his awareness of the game means he can give you that. It’s why it’s called more of a hybrid role. He will play as that six but he’s not just sitting there, he will make that run to support the front men when it’s required. He’s got the legs to do that – and he has done it many times effectively for Steve Clarke (and the Scotland national team). It seems to suit him. Loads of players are asked to play different roles and can struggle at it, but he has really taken to it.”