VILJAMI SINISALO has told Martin O’Neill he is ready for the Premiership challenge at Ibrox on Sunday after his impressive shut-out in Celtic’s 1-0 Europa League play-off second leg win over VfB Stuttgart.
The 24-year-old Finnish keeper was on the substitutes’ bench for all 11 of the club’s previous European encounters this season and has made only six first-team stats since the campaign kicked off in early August.
His solitary league appearance came during Wilfried Nancy’s catastrophic 33-day tenure as Hoops manager when he conceded two goals in the opening eight minutes before the champions overcame rock-bottom Livingston 4-2 in West Lothian in December.
Sinisalo refused to bask in the reflected glory of a fine display against the Germans in an outing in which he produced three stunning saves to deny the Bundesliga team.
SHUT-OUT IN STUTTGART…Viljami Sinisalo celebrates.
The shotstopper said: “There’s another game coming up in three days’ time. If the manager decides to put me in, great. I’m ready for it.
“I want to play.
“But that’s not my decision. All I can do is go out there, play as well as I can, and try my best, which I have always done for the football club and will keep doing.
“That’s the only thing I can focus on.”
Sinisalo, speaking to TNT Sports, added: “This is a football club that’s really special to play for. Every time you get that chance, it’s a privilege.
“I’m buzzing to have got that chance to play – that’s what all footballers want to do.”
“The more chances you have, the better. I’m just glad I got that chance. That’s all you can do, and then whatever follows is not necessarily up to me.”
Over to you, Martin!
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