Cameron Carter-Vickers has opened up on the injury that kept him out of most of last season.
Usually a stalwart in the Parkhead defence, the 28-year-old missed the vast majority of the campaign with a brutal Achilles injury.
He remarkably hasn’t appeared competitively since Brendan Rodgers was in charge, though he did start Celtic’s friendly against Shelbourne this week.
Having also missed out on a home World Cup with the USA this summer, he opened up on his injury.
🚫 He has an unserved ban from last season…
Who comes in?
Cameron Carter-Vickers on Celtic absence: ‘You feel more nervous’
The defender said, reflecting on a spectacular season run-in: “It was crazy.
“If you know you’re going to win it like that, that’s probably the most exciting way to do it.
READ MORE: Celtic ‘concretely interested’ in Mory Gbane as Martin O’Neill targets midfielder
“I would have liked it to have been a bit more comfortable. Thinking back over it now, there’s so much that went on that you forget so much of it as well.
“I think any player would definitely rather be playing than watching. You definitely feel a bit more nervous when you’re not out there.”
He credited Martin O’Neill and captain Callum McGregor’s role in the season, saying: “I just think [O’Neill] is a really good manager, gets the best out of players and just leads the team in that way really.
“I think his biggest strength is his man-management and getting the best from players.
“When I look back at last season, I do think Callum McGregor, the captain, was very important in that as well. Just the way he leads us day in, day out. He brings energy and pushes the team forward.
“But yes, those two, Cal and Martin, were really important in that season.”
Which Celtic player stood out at the World Cup? 🌍 🍀
No Celtic players remain… 😬
Will Celtic sign a centre-back this summer?
On paper, Celtic don’t need a central defender unless they plan on moving one, or several, of their existing ones on.
Under O’Neill last season, Liam Scales and Auston Trusty were the preferred pair for the vast majority of the time, though Carter-Vickers is bound to be in with a shout upon his return from injury.
Celtic have missed out on Oskar Wojcik, who had appeared to be their main defensive target, to Werder Bremen.
The names of Nobel Mendy, Michael Parker and Scott McKenna have also done the rounds.
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