Celtic goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo has urged his teammates to calm rising fan anger by delivering strong performances on the pitch, as thousands of supporters are expected to shun the club's pre-season friendly against Middlesbrough.
The Championship side will bring up to 10,000 fans to Parkhead, while Celtic had shifted a similar number of tickets by Friday evening, indicating significant fan discontent. Sinisalo acknowledged the growing frustration but believes the team can turn the tide through their play.
Sinisalo: Performances key to easing tensions
“Ultimately, we are the ones on the pitch and it comes down a little bit to if we play well. It's down to us to put performances in and block that out,” Sinisalo said. “People have the right to say what they want, that's absolutely fine. Ultimately we have to go out on that pitch and perform and be in a place mentally and tactically to do that.”
The goalkeeper referenced last season's united atmosphere at Celtic Park, which he said helped the team succeed. “You saw last season how united the stadium was and how much of a push that gave everyone. You could see that definitely helped us get over the line. I can't really put it into words how much it effects you. It does because, before you come here, people talk about the Celtic Park atmosphere. It's a special place to play football and it's a privilege, we're in a privileged position to be able to do that when it's united like that. The crowd really pushes you on and when you need a goal the most, you always feel like you're going to get a chance or you're going to find a goal somehow. It is really important, of course it is. And hopefully we can be in a position where we as players can put out some good stuff so the fans can really enjoy that.”
Transfer window and squad depth
Sinisalo insisted Celtic have quality within the squad but acknowledged the need for reinforcements. “It's a squad full of winners who have done a lot here. Obviously, if you can fine tune it somewhere then every football club tries to do that. Everyone's got full confidence we'll be able to do that. These things take time, but there's a squad there that has won a lot. Do we need strengthening in areas? Yes, of course we do. But we are building from a position of strength and that's what this club wants to do.”
He also commented on the potential departures of Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels, calling them among the best players he has played with. “They are certainly up there with the best players I've played with. They bring a lot to the squad, not just on the pitch but in the changing room. They're big personalities and it would be a shame to lose them. But everyone understands that if a big money bid comes in that's something the club and the player has to consider. It's part of football. There's always change in a football squad and that's part of it.”
Duran backed to make impact
Sinisalo expressed confidence in new signing Duran, saying: “I think Duran can be impactful and be a very special player for us. We've not played a competitive game yet but he seems to have the right mindset, which is really important at this football club.”
