Gordon thanks supporters for training boost
IN a sporting world where the pursuit of marginal gains is seen as key to success, Celtic’s recruitment of their proverbial “extra man” may have given them a timely boost in their bid to maintain domestic invincibility this season according to goalkeeper Craig Gordon.
Very much a family man, the veteran international enjoyed Friday’s Champions Training Day at Celtic Park as the doors were opened to allow holidaying youngsters to pack into the ground. And he reckoned their presence provided an extra edge to proceedings as they prepared for today’s trip to face Ross County in Dingwall.
“It adds a bit to the session,” he said. “You don’t want to let yourselves down in front of the fans so everyone was right at it. It was a really intense session and good preparation. We always train really intensely and the speed of our game is really high, but it just adds that little percentage point when you’re doing it in front of the fans.”
No-one in the Parkhead club’s squad has set a better example in terms of demonstrating that a sportsman is never too old or established to strive to better themselves than the goalkeeper who found himself out of the team at the start of the season, but by its mid-point was being targeted by English champions-elect Chelsea.
On Brendan Rodgers’ arrival, Gordon was challenged by the manager’s determination to build from the back, with a “sweeper keeper” central to his plans. As has been well catalogued, Gordon was forced to rethink his role, but the 34-year-old has found that stimulating.
“It’s really enjoyable. It’s a much bigger part in the team, a lot more important than it used to be,” he said. “I’m more of a quarter-back than a goalie now. It’s definitely changed the way my team-mates look at me. They now know they can play a one-two if they’re in trouble. I’m another option. If they can’t play forward, then I’ll be giving them the angle to recycle the ball and keep it going, whether it’s back out the other side or reversing back to the same side depending on where we’re being pressed.” Such has been the change that, albeit with tongue slightly in cheek, he is now looking at ways of measuring his impact beyond clean sheets. “If we create a chance, I count it as an assist, even if it’s six or seven passes afterwards,” Gordon said. “It’s about getting the ball into good areas from where we can attack; giving it to the players we know can go and cause damage. “There was one against Dundee recently that came from a goal kick, one at Hearts that came from a quick restart out to James Forrest for our second goal. I’m claiming them. I think there were only three other touches in the move, so that’s the closest ever get to an assist.”