David Turnbull has lauded the way Cameron Carter-Vickers has taken to captaincy at Celtic, after being tasked to fill in with a leadership role following Callum McGregor’s injury.
Carter-Vickers has been an impressive presence at centre-back since signing from Tottenham Hotspur last year. Signing a permanent deal in the summer, the United States international is now heading to a World Cup after another period of sustained form.
Turnbull has been left impressed and reckons since being given the armband is getting even better.
As quoted by The Scotsman, the Celtic midfielder said: “He’s been a mainstay in our team. You see how well he has done, and since he has had the captain’s armband I think he has taken it to another level.
“Ever since he has come in he has been very reliable, played most games, and he’s been solid for us. He’s a rock at the back, and hopefully he can go there [to the World Cup] and make a good impact.
“We’ve got a lot of big characters in the changing room when Cal’s not there. He’s still chipping in with wee bits before games and after games, but Cameron has done brilliant to step in.
“It’s a tough thing to do and he’s handled it well. Cal is maybe a wee bit more vocal before games or whatever, but sometimes it’s not about that. The way he [Carter-Vickers] carries himself on the pitch is an example to everyone else.”
Having other figures in the dressing room we can rely on to keep standards high, beyond McGregor, is crucial. The reality is that Ange Postecoglou could have given the captaincy to a few others, most notably Joe Hart or Greg Taylor.
That doesn’t take away from what Carter-Vickers is doing, however. His calm and composed attitude to matches has been key in solidifying the Celtic defence as the best in the country.
Hopefully, it results in starts at the World Cup and he can return to Scotland with even more confidence in the second half of the season.
In other news, “Really threadbare”; Ross County struggle with injuries ahead of Celtic Park test.
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