‘I CAN’T COMPLAIN,’ ADMITS CELT

CRISTIAN GAMBOA admitted he will be patient as he waits for his chance to get a run in the Celtic first team.

The Costa Rican right-back has been on the subs’ bench for the last two games with Mikael Lustig returning to the rearguard.

Gamboa said: “I just want to work hard. It is difficult to complain about anything because the results have been good and the team have playing so well.

“The manager knows that he has two fit players who can play in my position and that is good for the team.

“There is always a lot of competition to play when you are at a big club like Celtic so I think this is normal.

“But I am enjoying working hard in training and I feel settled here in Glasgow. I hope there will be more to come because I love playing at Celtic Park, it is quite magnificent.

“It is good to get a run of games because you get your fitness and your momentum. But it is about the group and the team and it is up to me to make sure that I am ready.”

The Betfred League Cup – the club’s 100th piece of silverware – has already been won and the Hoops are an astonishing 27 points ahead in the Premiership as they head for title number six on the trot.

The focus will now turn to the Scottish Cup with Inverness Caley Thistle due to play at Parkhead on Saturday.

Parkhead boss Brendan Rodgers is aiming at a domestic clean domestic sweep.

There have been only three Celtic teams and two Celtic managers – Jock Stein and Martin O’Neill – who have achieved such a feat.

Gamboa, bought from West Brom in August, may not know too much about the history of the club, but he is aware of the prestige involved in claiming the coveted trio.

He added: “I have been told that it does not happen often for teams to go and win all three trophies, so it would be a great thing to be a part of.

“For us, though, I think we are a little afraid to keep looking at the big things.

“It makes more sense for us to look only to what the next game is. If we can do that then maybe there will be lots for us to celebrate, but at the minute we are in the middle of the season.

“There is no-one giving prizes just now.

“It is very important that we do not allow ourselves to think about what might be. We know that it will be hard to win all three competitions, but it would make us a special team.

“To do that, we have to look to every game as it comes and not let our thoughts go too fast.

“The gaffer wants is to keep winning, keep winning. We want there to be a lot more to come.

“Football is a chance to make history and so something special and I feel good to be a part of it.”