VILJAMI SINISALO is poised to get the nod to make his eighth first-team appearance when Celtic take on Aberdeen at Pittodrie tomorrow night.
Kasper Schmeichel made his return in the 3-1 win over Hibs at Parkhead at the weekend after a shoulder injury had ruled him out of six successive games.
However, Brendan Rodgers may opt to wrap the legendary 38-year-old Danish keeper in cotton wool with the Scottish Cup Final against the Dons coming up fast as the Hoops aim to bring down the curtain in style by sealing the club’s sixth treble in nine extraordinary years at Hampden a week on Saturday.
JUST CHAMPION…Kasper Schmeichel captures the league-winning moment with team-mates Alistair Johnston, Greg Taylor and Viljami Sinisalo after the 5-0 win at Tannadice.
Sinisalo, who also played in the 5-0 home victory over Raith Rovers in the national competition in February, has conceded just three goals in his seven previous outings in which he has impressed Rodgers, his team-mates and the supporters.
The Finnish shotstopper was a bit of an unknown quantity when he arrived in a £1million switch from Aston Villa in the summer.
Clearly, he was coming in as Schmeichel’s understudy while Scott Bain, signed first time-around by Rodgers from Dundee in 2018, dropped down the pecking order to No.3.
At 37, Joe Hart had triggered the changes when he announced he was retiring at the end of last season after three years – and seven honours – at Parkhead.
Sinisalo is eager to prove he can cope with the pressure that comes with being a Celtic player and says: “That’s why you’re here. Everyone wants to play.
REACHING FOR THE TOP…Viljami Sinisalo celebrates his first – and Celtic’s 55th – title success.
“I understand what it takes to be here. Whether I’m 23 or 33, I’ll try to prove I’m that calm persona in goal you can rely on.
“That’s just what I am as a person on the pitch and off the pitch. I’m quite calm. I try to show my personality when I play. That’s one of the big things as a keeper – you’ve got to show personality and that real presence.”
Sinisalo accepts that he will be asked to step down when the grand finale comes around in 11 days’ time.
The lithe and athletic netminder, speaking to the Daily Record, continued: “I suppose nothing’s a given in football. I’m not even focusing that far ahead.
“I’m just trying to enjoy the moment. Every chance you get to play is a privilege.
“I’m just happy I’ve now had that chance and I’m trying to show people who probably haven’t seen me as much of what I am and what I’m about.
“That’s all you can do. Then if the manager makes the decision, the manager makes the decision. But I can only do what I can on the pitch and try to show in training what I’m about.
WE’RE BEHIND YOU…Viljami Sinisalo has the backing of the Celtic support during the 5-0 Scottish Cup semi-final success over St Johnstone at Hampden last month.
“If you asked me three months ago about the games I’ve now had since I’ve been in the team, at Tannadice in the league-clinching game, Hampden in the semi-final, at Ibrox in the derby, I’d have been happy.
“I’m just trying to prove I can be a Celtic goalie for the foreseeable.”
Sinisalo added: “The important thing is what the manager thinks of you, what your team-mates think of you – and if the fans love you, it’s a great bonus.
“But I try not to read into it too much. I’ve heard the manager say nice things after the game, it’s very nice.
“I want to be someone your defenders look at and be like: ‘We’re fine here, we’re absolutely fine. He’s there, he’s calm, doesn’t look fazed’.
“That’s what I want to be. That’s just who I am.”
