‘I’VE STILL GOT A LOT MORE TO COME,’ INSISTS TURNBULL
DAVID TURNBULL has warned rivals Celtic will still be as relentless in the new campaign as they were last time out when they won their tenth title in 11 years.
The Hoops were dismissed by many going into the previous campaign and three defeats in the first six league outings appeared to emphasise that belief.
However, Ange Postecoglou’s uncompromising drive and new players beginning to gel brought about an extraordinary transformation that saw the Hoops go to the Premiership pinnacle for the first time in 18 months after their 3-0 destruction of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s Ibrox side at a pulsating Parkhead on February 2.
FREEWAY…David Turnbull (extreme left) is congratulated by Matt O’Riley after netting Celtic’s second goal from a free-kick in the 2-2 draw with Blackburn Rovers.
THAT’S MY BHOY…Matt O’Riley says well done to marksman David Turnbull while Liel Abada joins in.
The players were unshakeable after that rousing evening in the east end of Glasgow and the crown was sealed over three months later with the 1-1 deadlock against Dundee United at Tannadice on May 11.
Celtic will launch their bid for back-to-back championships on Sunday when Aberdeen provide the opposition on Flag Day.
Postecoglou has presided over six pre-season warm-up encounters and has watched his team win three and draw three while scoring 20 goals and conceding nine.
Turnbull rolled in a classy second effort in the 2-0 victory over a competitive Norwich City at the weekend to take his tally to three in the preparation matches.
Now it all starts again against the Dons and the Scotland international playmaker said: “A lot of people wrote us off last year and we proved them wrong.
“We’ve added more bodies and have players back from injury. It’s about doing more of the same and taking it up another level. We want to try to win every game we can.
JUST CHAMPION…David Turnbull yells in triumph after Celtic’s 6-0 win over Motherwell in May that brought down the curtain on the tenth title victory in 11 years. Carl Starfelt and Matt O’Riley look on.
“I don’t think being champions will make any difference to our approach.
“We’ll still take each game as it comes. Last season was a great success, but we want to build on it. Nothing has changed for us – we will still be at it every week.”
Turnbull, who cost £2.75million when he signed from Motherwell in the summer of 2020 after his original switch collapsed following injury concerns, is eager to get into the fray and is relishing the battle for a first-team place in a midfield packed with talent.
New Bhoy Aaron Mooy, the 31-year-old Australian World Cup star, will add quality in the team’s engine room after his arrival on a two-year deal last week.
Captain Callum McGregor will be the first name in Postecoglou’s team sheet every week and that leaves others such as Reo Hatate, Matt O’Riley, Yosuke Ideguchi and James McCarthy battling for places.
DIDN’T HE DO WELL…David Turnbull thumps in Celticv’s second goal in the 2-0 success at Fir Park in October.
Turnbull missed four months of action after limping off with a knee problem midway through the first-half of the 2-1 Premier Sports League Cup Final victory over Hibs at Hampden on December 19.
However, the 23-year-old enthusiast still managed to chip in with 10 goals and is looking to kick on again as soon as the ball gets rolling against Jim Goodwin’s men.
Two memorable strikes from last season’s march towards the flag came in a 2-0 win over his former club Well at Fir Park in October when he fired a long-range drive over the head of Liam Kelly and he claimed a peach in the 3-0 victory against new team-mate Benji Siegrist on Tayside in December.
He lobbed the ball over the head of the outrushing keeper before almost nonchalantly knocking it over the line from practically under the crossbar.
GOAL-DEN TOUCH…Benji Siegrist can only look round in anguish as David Turnbull prepares to put the finishing touches to his stylish goal in the 3-0 win over Dundee United at Tannadice in December.
Turnbull, speaking to the Daily Record, continued: “Most of the goals we do score seem to be good ones rather than tap-ins so long may it continue. I managed to get a few nice ones last year. I better not say the one against Motherwell was the best!
“There was the one at Tannadice which was a good one and I totally meant it.
“It’s good to look back on those moments last season. I know I’ve got that in my locker and it’s about bringing it to the team and, hopefully, adding a few more this year.”
Turnbull added: “I would say I’ve still got more to come from me. It’s about fitness at this stage in pre-season and getting minutes in the legs, playing the way the manager wants. Once the season gets up and running I think there is more to come.
“It’s great. The manager always works with the attacking players and there is a freedom to go and play in the final third. We want to move the ball quickly and, as you can see, we create a lot of chances.
“Hopefully, that can continue.”