VILJAMI SINISALO could discover today if he will be Celtic’s No.1 keeper in the club’s quest for a world record ninth treble.
The Finnish international made his Premiership debut for the Hoops in the 3-0 win over Hearts at Parkhead on Saturday.
Sinisalo was catapulted into pole position after Kasper Schmeichel had been sidelined with a shoulder injury sustained in Denmark’s 5-2 UEFA Nations League loss to Portugal in Lisbon last weekend.
The legendary netminder, 38, is standing by to find out the extent of the problems after scans today.
LAIDBACK…a relaxed Viljami Sinisalo takes in the pre-match build-up before Celtic’s 3-0 win over Motherwell at Fir Park in October.
Schmeichel, who joined as a free agent in the summer after quitting Anderlecht at the end of his contract, had played in all 30 league encounters until the visit of the Tynecastle club.
The only other game he sat out came early last month when Brendan Rodgers allowed the veteran shotstopper a breather in the 5-0 Scottish Cup triumph over Raith Rovers in Glasgow when Sinisalo, a £1million summer recruit from Aston Villa, made his first appearance.
Now the 23-year-old keeper is on the verge of playing the remaining seven league games of the campaign with Rodgers’ men heading for a fourth successive title while the holders will take on St Johnstone in the Scottish Cup semi-final in just under three weeks’ time.
Sinisalo is ready to play his part – and he has revealed the encouragement he has received from glove rival Schmeichel since he arrived in Glasgow.
He said: “Kasper has been really, really, really supportive. He’s someone I’ve always looked up to since I was young.
“Obviously, we wish him all the very best and a speedy recovery, but, yeah, he’s been great since day one when we both came in and we’ve been really close.
“He’s been great with me.”
CUP THAT CHEERS…Viljami Sinisalo and Kasper Schmeichel (in back row, right) celebrate Celtic’s Premier Sports League Cup triumph over Ibrox opposition in mid-December.
Sinisalo admitted the Great Dane had been in touch before the game and he reflected on his league debut and said: “It was great to play. I was looking forward to it a lot.
“When you get an opportunity to play for this football club, you’ve got to take it with both hands and, hopefully, I can do that. You’ve got to have that confidence and I’ve always been a confident man.
“A former coach always said to me, have confidence to the point of arrogance. Never go above that. You can’t be arrogant, but you’ve got to be confident.
“Your goalkeeper needs to look confident and looks like it belongs to the place where he is. So, yes, obviously I’ll back myself. And however many games that is, I’ve got to back myself, which I will.”
Sinisalo, speaking to the Daily Record, continued: “You’ve got to do that. As a goalkeeper, you’ve got to be ready for your moment.
“That’s why I’ve worked hard every day since I started my professional career and every day since I’ve signed for this football club in the summer.
“Every footballer wants to play and when you get that moment, that chance, you’ve got to take it and keep ticking the games away and playing well and stuff like that. So, yeah, it’s a mental game.
“Especially for a club like this, it’s mental.
“You’ve got to be switched on at every single moment in the game because things can happen so quickly.”
WE’RE BEHIND YOU…Kasper Schmeichel has the backing of the Celtic support.
Preparing for the campaign’s crescendo where he could play a pivotal role, the Finn remarked: “Listen, one game at a time. It’s about getting three points here and we move our focus to the weekend.
“That’s St Johnstone, so we’ll try and tick them off one game by game and make sure we get the three points.”
A relaxed Rodgers added: “I really liked Vil’s authority.
“He’s a young keeper we felt could come in and have a season as an understudy learning from a top goalie with a good mentality, knowing he’d not play so much.
“I’ve seen him grow from pre-season. This was a big game for him against Hearts, but he made a save and will always take the ball.
“I’m really pleased for him getting the clean sheet. We want Kasper back, but it’s an opportunity for a young keeper and I’m happy if Vil has to play.”
