Gordon will fight to show he is the No 1

THE THREAT of actual fisticuffs is obviously minimal; Craig Gordon is hardly the type to exchange cross words with a rival, never mind engage in physical combat.

But be certain on one point. Gordon is ready to fight anyone and everyone — including any new goalkeeper brought in before the transfer deadline — to retain his starting place in this Celtic team.

And, over the next four games, the veteran has a golden chance to show Neil Lennon that he is the undisputed No 1 for Scotland’s champions.

Gordon, back in the side because of a hand injury to Scott Bain, will be the last line of defence against AIK at Celtic Park tonight and in Sweden next Thursday.

In between, he will be asked to keep out former club Hearts. And he’ll round off this quartet of games with a trip to Ibrox.

Sometimes, opportunity doesn’t so much knock as kick down the door and demand to be embraced.

Gordon, aware that Lennon has been linked with other goalies, including a potential move for former Hoops hero Fraser Forster, said: ‘It doesn’t matter who is in here, I want to play. And the only way I can do that is by playing well.

‘If he does bring in another goalkeeper, then I’ll need to play very well to make sure I keep my place. If I don’t, I’ll have to live with that.

‘I don’t mind. I’ll happily fight anyone for their place. Not actually fight them! But you know what I mean. Not big Fraser, I wouldn’t fight him for it!

‘But that’s the mentality I have, no matter what. I’ll do my best to get in the team, concentrate on myself and my fitness.

‘If I’m doing as well as I can and I get picked, great, I want to play.’

Looking ahead to the next four fixtures on the schedule, the 36-year-old said: ‘It could be the ideal opportunity. You never know. If the team does well, then that

gives me the opportunity to shine. If I do make a few saves and we go on to win games, people will see the worth in that.

‘On the flip side, if we’re not winning, people will look to see where the team can be improved.

‘It’s up to everybody — not just me — to go out there and perform and prove they deserve to be in the team.

‘The transfer window is still open, so any player could potentially be replaced. We have to go out and perform in that knowledge, determined to stay in the team and have a successful season.

‘I don’t know (if I’ll keep my place). I just have to go in and play as well as I can.

‘If it’s one game, ten games or for the rest of the season, I can’t worry about anything other than my own performance. The manager will make his decision.

‘That’s all you can ask for, an opportunity. It’s up to me to claim it and make sure that I do stay in the team, make it an easy decision for the manager.’

Bain, out for maybe a month, is generally held to be more comfortable with the ball at his feet than Gordon (right). That was often cited as a reason for picking

him ahead of the former Scotland star. And, surprisingly, it’s a point on which Gordon himself agreed.

‘I didn’t think I was that bad at it,’ he said with a grin. ‘We managed to win three Trebles and I played in two and a half of them.

‘There must have been something working, especially to keep the clean sheets that we did.

‘You have to say that it’s one of Scott’s biggest attributes, if not his biggest attribute. He is a very good kicker of the ball, he passes it really well.

‘He does that better than I do. That’s fine. It’s something I didn’t think I did badly — but he can do it better. So I’ve got to hold my hands up and say: “Yeah, he does that better than me”.

‘But that was the manager’s decision, to go ahead and play him for that reason. And, at that time, it worked well. So you have to give him credit for that. But I don’t think I was bad or poor in any way. He was just slightly better.’

Describing this season’s approach as more of a ‘safety-first’ philosophy, Gordon concedes that a summer rebuild of the entire back line is ‘not ideal’. Celtic have lacked stability, never more so than in the 4-3 home loss that saw them tumble out of the Champions League without reaching even the play-offs. The Europa League represents a shot at redemption, of sorts. A chance for every Celtic player selected to regain credibility. Worth fighting for, then.