CAMERON CARTER-VICKERS was involved in both legs of Celtic’s humiliating Champions League exit against Kazakhstan minnows Kairat Almaty a year ago.
The USA international centre-back played his role in making sure the back door was closed, but, unfortunately, his team-mates further up the pitch didn’t possess the threat to score a solitary goal in three-and-a-half hours of football against the so-called ‘no-hopers’.
To cap a thoroughly miserable and embarrassing couple of games, Adam Idah, Luke McCowan and Daizen Maeda all missed from the spot in the penalty-kick shoot-out as the Hoops hurtled out of Europe’s elite competition.
IN CONTROL…Cameron Carter-Vickers in action during the 4-0 Premier Sports League Cup victory over Dundee United at Tannadice on Saturday.
Carter-Vickers is determined not to relive the experience when Martin O’Neill’s side take on LASK in the first leg of their Champions League Play-Off at Parkhead tomorrow night with the return in Austria six days later.
The rugged, no-frills 28-year-old defender said: “The season before last we had a pretty good run in the competition and that’s something we want to try and recreate.
“Obviously, last year was a disappointment.
“I think every player wants to play at the highest level possible and challenge themselves against the best teams and players in the world. As a group, it’s definitely something that we want.
“The LASK match will be a tough test for us. They are Austrian champions, they’re a strong team.
“They’re physically very good, I believe, so it’ll be a difficult tie, but it’s something that we’re looking forward to and a challenge we’re ready to take on.”
READ ALL ABOUT IT…Celtic’s official matchday programme for the LASK encounter.
Carter-Vickers, speaking the Official Matchday Programme, added: “We’re only a few games in this season and you never want to get ahead of yourself.
“But I think we’ve started the season fairly strong, though there’s obviously a lot that we can improve on.
“I think our football can definitely become slicker and more cohesive, and I think that naturally happens as the players play more beside each other.
“You always want to improve and that’s no different this season.
“Last season wasn’t as smooth as we all wanted it to be or as smooth as it’s maybe been in previous years, but this season we want to improve on where we were last season and try to take it to another level.”
Tomorrow night under the lights in the east end of Glasgow would be a good place to continue the winning start to the new crusade.
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