NEW Bhoy Gustaf Lagerbielke has praised “very helpful” Brendan Rodgers.
The centre-back joined Celtic in a £3million switch from Elfsborg in August and has enjoyed mixed fortunes so far in his short career at the champions.
Lagerbielke played the entire 90 minutes-plus in the hectic Glasgow derby at a partisan Ibrox where Kyogo Furuhashi lashed the only goal of the afternoon behind Jack Butland in first-half stoppage-time.
It was a nervy afternoon for the Swede, but he and the rejuvenated Liam Scales stood firm to repel all raids with keeper Joe Hart also proving to be unbeatable.
IN CONTROL…Gustaf Lagerbielke in action during the 2-1 win over Motherwell at Fir Park.
However, it was a different story in Rotterdam just over a fortnight later when Lagerbielke was red-carded after two bookings in the 2-0 Champions League Group E opening-day loss to Feyenoord.
The 23-year-old stopper has made seven appearances in the Hoops’ 11 games this term and played in the dramatic 2-1 win over Motherwell at Fir Park, but, after serving his Euro suspension in the 2-1 loss to Lazio at Parkhead, he wasn’t included in the line-up that beat Kilmarnock 3-1 at the weekend.
Cameron Carter-Vickers made his first start since the second league game of the campaign, the 3-1 victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie on August 13, when he teamed up with Scales.
Lagerbielke is now with the Swedish international squad for the games against Moldova tonight and Belgium on Monday and, asked by media outlet Fotbollskanalen for his thoughts about missing out, answered: “I think it’s about rotation and that we have a lot of centre-backs competing and that he [Rodgers] wants to see everyone.
ENDGAME…Gustaf Lagerbielke is down and out after Celtic’s Viaplay League Cup loss at Kilmarnock in August.
“I’ve had to play a lot and feel that it’s gone well. That’s the most important thing. I am very happy with my first time at Celtic and I think it has gone very well.
“So it’s not something I’ve thought about or worried about.
“Everyone is very friendly and so is Rodgers. He has been very helpful and he is a good trainer.”
Nat Phillips, on loan from Liverpool until January, has now come into contention for a place in the middle of the rearguard after recovering from his ankle injury.
Out for the foreseeable future, though, are £4.3million recruit Maik Nawrocki, from Legia Warsaw, and former Scotland Under-21 international captain Stephen Welsh.
Lagerbielke will be hoping to be involved when the Premiership resumes with the champions due to travel to Tynecastle to take on Hearts a week on Sunday.
