Lewis Toshney would like to force his way into the Celtic team but would also be happy to return to Kilmarnock on loan next season. Defender Toshney has made eight appearances for Killie since joining them on loan in January. He has to go further back to recall his only appearance in the Celtic first team when he came off the bench in a 3-0 win over Aberdeen in February last year. However, he is hoping his recent first-team experience at Rugby Park can help him when he returns to Parkhead. Toshney said: "I will go back to Celtic and have pre-season at Celtic and just see what happens there. If I'm in favour at Celtic I will be looking to push on and hopefully get a first-team place. If not, if I'm really in trouble and not playing, and playing reserve games once a month again, I will be looking to go out on loan and play in the SPL. I'm really looking forward to going back to Celtic but if it comes to it I would definitely pick Kilmarnock to come back to." Toshney has been encouraged that he is doing the right things from Celtic manager Neil Lennon with coaching and scouting staff John Park and Stevie Frail also watching him in action. The defender went on: "I went back to Celtic to train the week before the League Cup final and the gaffer took me in and had a word. He said I was doing well and just told me to keep on doing what I was doing and everything they had taught me at Celtic. The gaffer has been brilliant and has kept in touch." Toshney has also been heartened by Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels' faith in his ability. He said: "It's been a great experience for me. I made my debut for Celtic last season but playing week in week out in the SPL, you don't get much better. I was thinking I might have to drop a level to get games but the gaffer has shown faith in me and he has been exceptional. The manager wants to bring young players through here and he has shown great faith in me. A big part of my career was playing in the NextGen games at Barcelona, Marseille and Man City and coming here I have taken that into it. Playing in the top league in Scotland has been brilliant for a 19-year-old kid coming through." Billy Stark also believes in Toshney as he was brought on for ten minutes to make his Scotland Under-21 debut this week in the 4-1 friendly defeat by Italy. He said: "It was only 10 minutes but it was good experience. I was in squads before but I was getting injured quite a lot and wasn't really going a lot. But I'm playing week in week out for Kilmarnock so I'm getting noticed a lot more."
Source: FOOTYMAD
