I’M YOURS FOR KEEPS
Gordon: Make me a Celt for life
CRAIG GORDON hopes to agree a new deal to end his career at Celtic.
The 33-year-old is savouring life with the champions, having been reborn at the club.
After recovering from horror injuries and near
From Back Page retirement to shine for former boss Ronny Deila, Gordon has stepped up another level again in recent weeks under Brendan Rodgers.
The Scotland stopper has worked on his all round game and believes he has several more years in the tank which he wants to spend in Glasgow’s East End.
Gordon said: “The club has an option for a further year after the end of this season and I’d like to stay.
“It’s the football that we are playing and the fact it’s so enjoyable which is something you don’t always have. To be at a massive club is special.
“We’re on a great run and where else would I want to be when we are challenging for trophies?
“It’s everything I’d want and I want to play in this team for as long as I can.
“There’s no rush and I’m pleased with what the situation is but I’m happy for it to continue.”
Rodgers has hinted Gordon may have his wish granted and said: “Craig is definitely one I want to keep.
“You see now a different keeper to when I first came in. How sure, how calm he is. He still has a lot of games in him.
“He’s 34 soon but he’s a top keeper who looks after his body and lives his life the right away.
“The Edwin van der Sars go on to 40. He has a good few years left.
“His past injuries could put years on to the end of his career. There are not so many miles on the clock.
“He is really enjoying this way of working. He is contributing to the team and feels that, even when he doesn’t have a lot to do.
“He can see how the top keepers in the world function, the way they play football, and he has been a real important player for us.”
Rodgers dropped Gordon for Dorus de Vries four months ago but said: “The good thing about Craig is he wasn’t a senior player who went away and sulked.
“He went away and wanted to be better and learn what I want from a keeper.
“Now, when I speak to managers after games, they all talk about how Gordon is so good, he’s better than some of my centre-halves.
“That’s a player who six months ago was getting rid of the ball. Now he’s passing it. There is a difference.
“He’s a footballer, not a keeper. Players love growth. They want to get better. When we have the ball, we have 11 players.
“When we don’t have the ball we are all defenders.
“Craig is a good guy as well. A really humble person.
“At his age, he could easily have said, ‘that’s it’. But he wanted to take his game to another level.
“He has done it against Manchester City and away in Monchengladbach. He has done it in big games.”