THOMAS HEIDE insists there is no chance Sebastian Tounekti will freeze on the big stage for Celtic.
Not after his snowbound upbringing on the ice-cold pitches in his home town of Tromso.
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Celtic’s new £5million winger Tounekti, 23, started his career with Norwegian minnows Tromsdalen — where Heide remains managing director.
He recalls the new Hoops star patiently waiting for the snow to melt on the club’s training pitch during the endless winter months.
Tounekti could have been forgiven for staying inside but instead braved the cold to hone his talents. That hard work has paid off after he earned his big move to join the Parkhead club on deadline day and then a World Cup place with Tunisia this week.
And Heide insists nobody deserves this success more than Tounekti after all the graft he put in as a kid.
He said: “It’s been an amazing period for Sebastian and we are all so happy for him.
“To join Celtic and then qualify for the World Cup a few days later must have made this a very special time in his career.
“But he deserves it because this has not been handed to him. He has had to work harder than anyone for it.
“Sebastian was always a very talented player with something special, but that only gets you so far. I have known him since he was very young because he is close in age to my younger brother.
“And my memories of him back then are that he would work tirelessly to improve his game.
“It can get very cold in Tromso. There is snow for a long part of the year and that doesn’t make it easy to play football outside.
“We had the heating under the pitch so that all the teams could train but it’s very cold and you can’t blame kids for opting to stay inside.
“But Sebastian was always so committed to football. I remember seeing him wait at the side of the pitch for the snow to clear.
“He would always be there, ready to start training when the pitch was ready. At the end of the session, he would be the last player off. That showed me how dedicated he was to becoming a footballer.
“Yes, he had skill and speed, but he also had the hunger and desire to make the most of his ability.
“He’s now playing for a big European club and will hope to represent his country at the World Cup next year.
“Sebastian’s story shows that if you work hard, you get the rewards.
“But knowing him, he will now want to achieve even more in his career — and that’s the right attitude to have.
“He has earned his move to Celtic but he will view this as the start of something and will work as hard as anyone to be a success.”
Tounekti, who qualifies for Tunisia through his father, grew up in Norway and was always highly rated.
He was widely expected to leave Tromsdalen in his teens to sign for Tromso but twice declined their offer.
Tounekti eventually joined Bodo/Glimt and had a spell at Dutch club Groningen before returning to Norway with Haugesund.
After two years there, Swedish side Hammarby moved for him and, within a matter of months, Celtic splashed out £5m to land him.
There have been ups and downs along the way, but Heide insists his mentality has never wavered.
He said: “Sebastian has made some big decisions in his career and has always had a lot of focus.
“Tromso are viewed as our big brother in Norway and everyone expected him to sign for them. He had chances to do that but moved elsewhere instead, which was a big call. Likewise, with his international career, he decided early on that he wanted to represent Tunisia and not Norway.
“Sebastian, like all young players, has had to deal with some setbacks but he came through them all.
“That mentality will be very important for him moving forward and there is no doubt he will handle the step up to Celtic.”
Tounekti’s move will also be profitable for Tromsdalen — with Heide’s club due a Fifa solidarity payment from the fee paid by Celtic.
That will be a welcome boost to their coffers, but the club’s chief has another reason to celebrate the move.
Through his work in the shipping industry, Heide has been a regular visitor to Glasgow over the years and can’t wait to return to take in a game at Parkhead.
He said: “This is the perfect move for Sebastian in so many ways. Personally, I love Glasgow. It’s one of my favourite cities in Europe and I have been many times.
“I know a really good curry house in the city centre and I look forward to returning there after watching Sebastian play for Celtic.
“For Tromsdalen, the transfer is also a help because we are due a payment through the Fifa rules.
“I don’t know how much that will be but every bit of finance helps and we will welcome it.
“It could take a couple of years to arrive because it has to be worked out and routed through Fifa but we know it is in the post!
“However, my real happiness for the move comes for Sebastian himself and everyone at the club is proud to see him progress and join a massive worldwide name like Celtic.”
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