Camilo Duran has admitted he expected a furious backlash from Celtic supporters following the club's calamitous Champions League exit to LASK, but instead found the Parkhead atmosphere a warm and welcoming culture shock.
The 24-year-old striker scored twice in the win over Falkirk and was taken aback by the support from the stands after Celtic crashed out on a 5-4 aggregate scoreline in Austria, having been four goals ahead with an hour to play.
Fans 'impeccable' after European collapse
Duran insists it is a measure of the Hoops faithful that they could turn a blind eye to one of the club's worst-ever continental embarrassments by sticking by the team. He said it was a polar opposite to what would have been lying in wait had a similar event occurred in his native Colombia.
He said: "It could have been a much worse reaction from the fans given the way we lost our last match. But they were impeccable and really got behind us. That was so great for us as players.
"It shows that they are great supporters of the team – that they're different from a lot of other supporters.
"I have been at clubs before where you get whistled off the pitch. In Colombia, if you lose just one game you get abuse when you go into the next game. I can see it's different here and it's great to have that.
"The Celtic fans supported us from the start and stayed with us right until the very end."
Duran thrives in central role
Celtic were not exactly serenaded onto the pitch as fan protests amounted to banners targeting the board, but Duran's early opener helped ease the mood on the back of the multitude of sins committed in Austria a few days earlier.
The Colombian carried a constant threat through the middle as he deputised for the absent Kasper Hogh, thriving in his preferred central role after being deployed mainly on the right flank since his summer arrival from Qarabag.
After taking his tally to five for the season, the striker was adamant that he is all about doing what's best for the team and happy to contribute in whatever role boss Martin O'Neill requires of him.
He said: "Everyone knows my favourite position to play is striker. But I will play wherever the manager wants me to play.
"The most important thing was to win and get the three points on the table. I am happy I was able to help the team by scoring a couple of goals."
No gap between Scottish and European level
One of the issues being cited for Celtic's catalogue of European failures has been an inability to step up the level from a Scottish Premiership that lacks the quality asked of them on the continental stage.
It is not a view shared by Duran, who insists there is little margin in the standard of the Scottish top flight and further afield.
He said: "I don't see much of a difference between the Scottish league and the European games. We just go into every game trying to win."
Duran has become a huge favourite with the Celtic support during the first few months of his time in Glasgow due to his all-action displays. He has revealed that moving to the Hoops has been a match made in heaven, and he is adapting to life in a new country with his partner and young daughter, who is picking up some Scottish slang.
He said: "My family is very happy, my daughter included. If they are happy then I am happy.
"I think you can see that on the pitch as well. My daughter is just two, her name is Emily.
"It's been a big change for us, coming to a new country, but we are getting used to it now.
"As everyone knows, children adapt quickly and Emily is learning every day. I am sure she will be speaking English - and Scottish - very soon."
