Coetzee sure he’s built to cope with Scottish game

RIVALDO COETZEE believes he already has the physical attributes to cope with the demands of the Scottish game. The South African central defender is due to leave his homeland for Glasgow in the next week after Celtic agreed a £1million fee with Ajax Cape Town for his services. Regarded as the finest ball-playing centre-half of his generation in his homeland, Coetzee became the youngest-ever South African international when he played against Congo aged 17 years and 361 days in 2014. And he believes his rise in the game won’t be hampered by testing his attributes in an environment far more physical to the one he is accustomed to. ‘I don’t think that I need to work on anything physically,’ he said. ‘It’s not about being physical. Sometimes you need to be a bit more aggressive but I’m not that kind of player. I’m just going to play my football, that’s why they’ve signed me.’ Coetzee joined his local side aged 15 and had his sights set on a move to Europe shortly after making his debut for the club two years later. When word reached him that Brendan Rodgers was preparing a bid, Coetzee did not have to be asked twice. ‘I’m over the moon,’ he added. ‘It’s something that I’ve always worked towards. I think it’s the right time and the right club. ‘I think it’s the best option because the coach believes in youngsters and the type of football they play; coming out of the back suits me nicely.’ With Celtic now in the group stage of the Champions League for a second successive season, Coetzee hopes he can yet play in the forthcoming campaign. ‘To come from where I have and have a chance on that stage is amazing,’ he said. Cape Town enjoys an average temperature of 22 degrees between January and March — a marked difference from the climate Coetzee will feel in the Scottish winter. ‘I just need to adapt,’ he said. ‘The weather won’t affect me, even if there’s just two sunny days a year.’