Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers has insisted he has enjoyed the responsibility of playing as part of different centre-back pairings.
The 24-year-old is a mainstay in the Hoops backline and has established himself as a key player for the club since his arrival last summer.
During the 2021/22 campaign, the American international struck up a strong relationship with fellow summer signing Carl Starfelt, and the pairing is still yet to lose a league game they have started alongside one another.
However, the defensive duo haven’t been able to strike up that partnership once again this season, due to injury, with both players having spells on the sidelines.
Whilst Carter-Vickers has only missed a handful of fixtures, Starfelt has been missing for a more considerable period of time due to a knee injury sustained against Rangers.
The 4-0 win over the Ibrox side in September was one of only two games that both players have started together this season as the Bhoys made a strong start to the domestic campaign.
These injuries to Carter-Vickers and Starfelt, as well as knocks to backup options Moritz Jenz and Stephen Welsh, have led to the back four being more inconsistent this season.
Although that has been a challenge, it is one that Carter-Vickers has enjoyed as the Hoops vice-captain opened up on his experiences this season, playing as part of a rotating defence.
He said [Glasgow Evening Times]: “I have enjoyed it. All of the centre-back players are all good, and it’s been good to play alongside a number of people and build relationships on and off the pitch. That is something I have enjoyed.
“The more you play alongside someone, the more you get used to what they like to do, the positions they might like to take up defensively. From there, then you work off each other. That’s how a good partnership is built.
“I don’t change my game massively, just little tweaks, and that is normal and natural when you are playing alongside someone a few times, and you know what they are going to do.
“I think we are in a good place. Everyone is happy, we are performing fairly well and picking up results, so it is good. I’m feeling good. We’ve been playing a lot of games, and it is difficult for everyone to recover fully, but I feel good.
“It is quite constant [the schedule]. You sort of finish one game, and you are already thinking about the next one. But we have a group that is quite used to that. It was like that for large parts of last season, and we are used to it now.”
Carter-Vickers has stepped up and shown precisely why Celtic made deal permanent.
Although Carter-Vicker’s initial deal at Celtic Park was only on-loan, you would have struggled to find a supporter who didn’t believe the club should take up their option to buy.
And this season, the former Tottenham man has shown precisely why that was the case.
In the games Carter-Vickers has been missing from injury; we have missed his presence and leadership at the back. In comparison, no matter who the American starts alongside, the backline already seems more solid.
In recent weeks, the defender has also stepped up in the absence of Callum McGregor, taking the captain’s armband and leading the Hoops by example.
Soon, we could see CCV paired up with his defensive partner of last season, Carl Starfelt after the Swedish centre-back marked his full return from injury.
No matter who he is paired alongside, though, you always know that you will get a top performance from the summer signing, and it is great to hear he is enjoying that new responsibility.
In other news, Celtic duo handed World Cup selection boost as stars prepare for Qatar.
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