Viljami Sinisalo has been handed the Celtic No.1 shirt for the upcoming season and admits he has been constantly pestering manager Martin O'Neill to ensure he keeps hold of it. The Finnish goalkeeper took over as first-choice last season after Kasper Schmeichel's injury and is now set to start the campaign as the champions' primary shot-stopper.
Sinisalo's Determination to Keep the No.1 Shirt
Sinisalo, who played a key role in helping Celtic secure the Double, has been listed as the first name on the squad list for the new season. However, he knows he cannot take anything for granted, with O'Neill admitting the club is in the market for a new goalkeeper following Schmeichel's retirement. Sinisalo said: "I've always wanted it. And I've never shied away from saying that. I got that chance to do that last season and it's a big football club. Once you've got that shirt, there's no intention to ever let that go."
The 24-year-old revealed that discussions about him becoming No.1 began early, likely after the international break in March. He added: "The manager knows where I'm at. I'm quite honest about how I see myself at the football club. He knows that and I know what he wants from me. I'm here to ask what more he wants to see from me because, ultimately, I want to be as good as I can be to help him and the team. I'm constantly in the office asking if there's something I can do better. He probably gets annoyed when I keep asking! But I am here to get better."
Competition for the Gloves
With only Ross Doohan as back-up, O'Neill is actively seeking another goalkeeper. Sinisalo, however, is not afraid of competition. He said: "Competition is good. It's a massive football club. The whole plan was for me to be that No.1 and I'm really delighted I got that chance. The bottom line is I've got the shirt and I intend to keep it. That's what I work towards every day. I understand it's a huge football club and there's always going to be competition. But that brings the very best out of you."
Sinisalo believes he will improve with more game time and is eager to grasp the opportunity at Celtic. He said: "To get that chance and real taste of it, you just want to get some more. I think I'll get better as games go and I'm glad I've got that opportunity here."
O'Neill's Hands-On Approach
Sinisalo also praised O'Neill for his hands-on role behind the scenes as the manager implements a new playing style at Parkhead. He said: "He's the same gaffer. Maybe he tends to speak up a bit more on the tactical side, in terms of what he wants. He's said a few things he wants us to do differently from last season, not massively, but there are certain things we all agree we can do better. He's had his input into that. But he's very much the same man – someone everyone looks up to and has a huge amount of respect for."
The goalkeeper credited O'Neill for putting the team in a position to succeed, saying: "Ultimately he put us in a position to go and do what we did. It's up to players to go and do it but a manager can put you in that position tactically and mentally to have that confidence and execute it. To go and win eight or nine games at the end to lift the title is not easy for any club at any level. That's obviously down to him and big respect also to the staff and the players because it's not easy to do."
Pre-Season Preparations
Celtic's pre-season has been mixed so far, with a draw against Shelbourne in Dublin and a heavy defeat to Sporting Lisbon in Portugal. This contrasts with Sinisalo's first campaign, when the Hoops impressed in the United States with wins against Manchester City and Chelsea. Sinisalo said: "You come to a club and you feel it straight away and how big it is and stuff. But the first couple of games, the Man City game and then the Chelsea game and you end up winning them and playing really well. You take a lot of confidence."
Celtic host Middlesbrough today and will have some of their World Cup stars back. Sinisalo is focused on building momentum ahead of the Premiership kick-off in a fortnight. He said: "I've seen many pre-seasons, it doesn't really always go that way. If you end up winning every single pre-season game, it doesn't mean that you win your first. It can help you, obviously, because you build a bit of momentum and you can see towards the end of the season what momentum can do for you. Because things just seem to happen for you when you've got a bit of momentum. I remember coming in and you win the first two games against some of the best in the world and you're thinking, I've got to go on then. It's about us on the pitch trying to put on something that people can really come and enjoy watching."
