Celtic reveal Cameron Carter-Vickers fitness status as Ange Postecoglou bristles over surgery question

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has declared Cameron Carter-Vickers fit to face Motherwell as he refused to be drawn on reports claiming the defender requires an operation.

It has been claimed that the US international may need to end his season prematurely in order to undergo surgery to fix an ongoing knee problem to ensure he is ready for the start of next season.

The influential centre-back sat out last weekend’s match on Kilmarnock’s plastic pitch but is set to return to action against the Steelmen on Saturday with Postecoglou insisting he is not in any danger of missing next weekend's Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Cameron’s trained all week and will play tomorrow,” the Celtic boss said during his broadcast press conference on Friday. “The only reason he didn’t play last week was because of the surface.”

Cameron Carter-Vickers will return to the Celtic side against Motherwell on Saturday. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)Cameron Carter-Vickers will return to the Celtic side against Motherwell on Saturday. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)
Cameron Carter-Vickers will return to the Celtic side against Motherwell on Saturday. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

Pressed on whether Carter-Vickers will need an operation, the manager bristled: “I can’t predict the future. If he gets through tomorrow, he’ll play next week.”

Jota, Reo Hatate and Liel Abada are set to miss out but Postecoglou refused to divulge whether he expects any of them back for next weekend’s Hampden showdown.

Celtic need just seven more points to guarantee the cinch Premiership title but they could also set a new club scoring record in the process.

The Hoops’ most prolific league campaign was in 1915-16 when they netted a whopping 116 times under Willie Maley, while Brendan Rodgers’ 2016-17 team hold the club’s post-war record of 106. Postecoglou’s rampant side have notched 102 goals with six games left in which to set a new benchmark.

“As much as we get defined by success, which means winning trophies and games of football, I guess the most pleasing thing for me is the number of goals we’ve scored because I still think that’s the best part of football for me,” said Postecoglou.

“It goes beyond winning because sometimes you can win and not really enjoy a game of football but no-one ever does not enjoy a goal, even the most scrambly, ugliest of goals still get celebrated.

“If there’s one record I’ll be most proud of it will be if we can score more goals than have ever been scored before by the football club because I know how much joy that has brought everybody involved, players and supporters.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The backdrop of that is that we have to win games and win trophies – that’s always going to be the measure – but especially at this football club, and just in football in general, I love the joy that goals bring. The more we score, the happier I am.”

Comments

 0 comments

Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.