‘Celtic would be comfortable in the English Premier League’
WATCHING from afar, Fraser Forster knew he was coming back to join a talented Celtic squad, but it was only when he has worked with the players at close quarters that he realised just how good they were.
So impressed has Forster been, particularly with younger talent like Odsonne Edouard and Ryan Christie, that he feels the current group of Celtic players would more than hold their own against the likes of his parent club Southampton, and that they could easily survive if they were playing in the English Premier League.
“I have been surprised at just how good they are,” Forster said.
“I knew there was a good squad here the second I came through the door but until you actually see people in training and day in day out and you see what they can do...
“The young lads especially are so talented. As they gather that experience they are just going to get better and better.
“Ryan Christie has been absolutely brilliant. Even from that very first game I watched, he was so positive. Everything he does, he looks to get turned and play up the pitch.
“Edouard’s been brilliant. He’s such an exciting talent. He’s another one when you see him in training that you really appreciate his quality.
“He’s a fantastic player and we’re very fortunate that he’s in our squad and team.
“I just think we’ve got such a good mix of youth and experience.
“It’s hard when you compare with north and south of the border. I definitely don’t see this as being a step down or backwards. Ultimately, I’ve come here to win trophies and compete at the top of the league. Not many people in football get to go out and do that and try and win competitions.
“I think we’d do alright (in the EPL). Looking at what we’ve got in the dressing room and the team we’ve got, there’s no reason why we wouldn’t have a comfortable season in the Premier League.” CELTIC have held a monopoly on Scottish domestic football these past three years.
With their domestic dominance currently stretching to nine trophies and counting, the club’s rivals will be telling themselves it is a run that must end sometime – as much as Neil Lennon would dearly love to finally complete his own personal trio of trophies for the first time by moving the club onto an outlandish quadruple treble this season.
No-one knows how the Northern Irishman’s mind works better than Johan Mjallby, his former team-mate.
Mjallby was with Lennon every step of the way as assistant manager during his previous stint at the club, a four-year period where the fates seemed to conspire against Lennon and his team in the cup competitions.
Make it past Ian McCall’s Partick Thistle tomorrow and Celtic will have booked another Hampden semifinal, and will be favourites to make it 10-in-a-row in terms of trophies.
While he accepts the arrival of Brendan Rodgers has changed the rules of the game, the Swede feels that landing the first trophy of the campaign will be important for the message it sends out to
Steven Gerrard’s Rangers than anything else.
“The Celtic fans want this trophy haul to continue until eternity but that’s unheard of,” said Mjallby.
“The Scottish Premiership will always be the priority and then the Scottish Cup.
“The Betfred Cup is maybe more important to Rangers right now for confidence and to prove they are on the right track to become proper challengers,” he added.
“But it’s important when you play for the Old Firm that you have to try to win every trophy. You don’t play friendlies. But it won’t make any difference who wins the first cup in terms of how the rest of the season pans out.
“Neil will put himself under a lot of pressure because he’s stepped into the shoes of a manager who did incredibly well domestically, so it’s a tough task,” he added.
“But he looks at the bigger picture and knows it’s all about the league in a way. That’s the prize he really wants to make sure they have another go in the Champions
League next season.
“He’s put a lot of trust in these guys who have been used to winning all these trophies
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