Celtic’s James Forrest speaks
The Scotland star could become Celtic’s most successful post-war player – just don’t compare him to Andy Murray
You’re still only 27, but you won your eighth successive league title with Celtic in 2018-19. Do you ever have to pinch yourself? Yeah! [Smiles] It’s unbelievable to have eight titles, to have been at Celtic for so long and to have contributed to the club winning so many league titles. I want to keep being a part of it for as long as I can. I really enjoyed last season – we were successful and the confidence at the club was sky high.
The post-war record for a Celtic player is 11 league titles, secured by Bobby Lennox. You’re starting to get close to that number now… I know! [Laughs] People keep telling me about these wee stats now and again, but I don’t think you actually enjoy it or even realise these things until after you finish playing. When you’re playing, you just want more. I’ve now been in the first team for nine years, and maybe in the last couple of years I’ve started to think that when you get a wee bit older, you appreciate how big Celtic is and how hard it is to stay here and keep winning trophies.
Do you think you can get to 11? What the club have been really good at over the years has just been to take league titles one at a time. You’re not thinking about 10 or 11 – you’re simply thinking about the next one, because that’s what matters. Each year, teams around us are getting stronger and the opposition is getting harder. If you look too far ahead, you end up not winning the next one.
Plus, Scott Brown is one ahead of you on nine titles. He’s 34, so you’ll have to persuade him to retire soon and you can get the record! [Laughs] Aye I know, there have been a few folks saying that to me recently! But Scott is still going strong. I can’t really see him going anywhere else any time soon. Neil Lennon returned to the club and helped you win the league title and Scottish Cup, after replacing Brendan Rodgers in February. Did the players adapt well to the unexpected change during the season? Aye, and I think it was much easier than it could have been, as Neil had been the manager here in the past. It definitely helped to have a familiar face because the change happened so quickly. It was completely unexpected – if you ask the boys in the dressing room, and the fans as well, they’ll all tell you that Brendan going to Leicester was out of the blue. But stuff like that happens in football, so you just get on with it. The main thing was the way the whole club dealt with it, which was first class.
You won Scottish football’s PFA Player of the Year award in 2018-19, having also scored an incredible five goals in Scotland’s last two Nations League games. How special was that? That was an unbelievable few days. They were my first goals for my country and they were important matches – we had to win them to reach the play-offs. They were my best moments for my country so far – I want more of that.
You’re in a tough Euro 2020 qualifying group with Belgium and Russia. Do you hope your Nations League goals could secure Scotland a play-off spot if you don’t qualify automatically? We still want to have a strong European Championship qualifying campaign, but it’s good to have the play-off to fall back on. Our first couple of qualifying results weren’t the best, but we definitely have it in us to reach Euro 2020. It was the most positive it’s felt around the country after the Nations League games. I hear from a lot of boys at Celtic who’ve been to major tournaments, and it would be great if Scotland got there.
We’ve read that you were a decent tennis player as a youngster. Could you have been the next Andy Murray? [Laughs] No. I played, but it was nothing like that! I was just like anyone playing as a wee boy, and someone has made it into something it wasn’t!
Virgil van Dijk was your team-mate at Celtic a few seasons ago. Did you know how good he would become? Aye - I actually played against him for Scotland Under-21s in Holland, so when he came to the club I already knew him. He had two years at Celtic and you could see how good he was; now he’s gone down to England and done so well with Southampton and Liverpool. Virgil was a nice lad in the dressing room here, and a few of the Celtic lads are still in touch with him now. Everyone is pleased to see him doing well.
You signed a new contract at Celtic a few months ago. Do you hope to be a one-club man for your whole career? Yeah, I’ve been at the club for this long, so I just need to keep going. Celtic are a massive club and always improving, so you’re always pushed to play better. It’s going to be hard work to stay here, but it’s so good. If I did manage to stay here for the rest of my career, it would be a great achievement. Chris Flanagan
New Balance Football’s Celtic FC home kit for 2019-20 is available to buy now from www.newbalance.com/football