FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE
Hoops defender Welsh insists Celtic don’t need a helping hand in bid for two trophies
STEPHEN WELSH says Celtic don’t need “favours” in their last big push for double glory.
The defender knows his singleminded side have matters in their own hands to land two pieces of silverware.
Celtic have eight games to retain their title with focus also on defending the Scottish Cup.
Last season’s Treble winners have lost their League Cup, but can still retain the other two major domestic honours.
Welsh knows it can still be a special campaign ending and said:
“Definitely. We are still fighting for two trophies.
“We don’t need favours. All we are thinking about is winning the next game which is Livingston away. Then we go on again and we will see where it takes us.
“We are in a semi-final against Aberdeen and we are very much looking forward to that when it comes.
“We are fighting on all fronts and it will take one big push from us. That is what it is. It is a big push from everyone. Hopefully we will get everyone back fit. We have got a great squad, a great squad of players.
“It is a good environment to be in every day and we are all just pushing each other to be the best we can be as players and as a team. Yeah, it will be one big big push.”
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has been over the trophy-winning course plenty in the recent past and Welsh said: “I think we have experience in the team as well. We were obviously very successful in the last couple of seasons and the vast majority of the players are still here.
“We have got the experience of going and winning things, so, hopefully, we can use that as well. It is massive. It is a mentality thing as well going into the last few games of the season.
“Obviously the gaffer was here before and was very successful the first time. He knows what it takes as well to do it as well. We are just taking it one game at a time.
We have got a good break now and we can recover and get some good training in. Then we can push on. We are really looking forward to it.”
Celtic have matters firmly within their own control and, although Welsh acknowledged it’s not been plain sailing in patches of the campaign, but Rodgers’ team are still in a prime position to deliver.
Welsh continued: “It’s been up and down for us this season. We’ve not been fully firing, but we’re still in a good position.
“We’ve put in a good performance against St Johnstone and that’ll see us into the next few games. It gives us a good pedestal to push on from now.”