Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Cameron-Carter Vickers has been getting the cotton wool treatment at times this season at Celtic.

But Hoops fans can be forgiven for being the ones feeling more comfortable when they see the defender’s name on the teamsheet. Carter-Vickers has been managing a long-standing foot problem that has forced him to sit out some matches. But the USA international is back in business – and determined to maintain his incredible record at the heart of the Hoops defence


Carter-Vickers is not a man to pay too much attention to stats. If he did he would see some of the most stunning numbers Scottish football has seen. The centre-back has played 110 domestic games in three-and-a-half years with Celts – and lost just FOUR of them. Carter-Vickers was involved in the last loss on home soil against Hearts back in March and when the Jambos won at Parkhead last December.


But the previous term his side did not suffer a single domestic defeat when he was in the team – with the Livingston shock in his first season the only reverse outside the Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Rangers. It’s little wonder that the bookies’ odds on Celtic losing shoot up another notch when he’s in the starting XI – and it has been more of the same this term


The stats are still ridiculous. Seven league appearances, seven wins – and seven clean-sheets. In fact, Carter-Vickers has only seen the ball fished out of the Celtic net once in Scotland this campaign, in the 3-1 Premier Sports Cup win over Hibs. Even in the Champions League the centre-back is two wins out of two with Slovan Bratislava and RB Leipzig only managing consolation goals in stunning victories for Celts.

Carter-Vickers doesn’t think too much about it though – and was left scratching his head when asked to recall those domestic defeats. The modest star said: “I remember the first season I lost to Livingston away. I think that was my first loss away from home. We lost Hearts away 2-0, after we went down to 10 men. That was a bit unlucky.


But, yeah, there’s not been many. To be honest that’s what I pride myself on – the consistency. I try to get it from myself and everyone else. That’s something I definitely care about and try to do.”


Carter-Vickers has been a huge part in the winning habit at Parkhead but is refusing to take the credit. As far as he’s concerned, it’s more of a coincidence that Celts don’t lose when he’s around as he is quick to share the plaudits with the team.

The astonishing record comes with added pressure though. Even if he has been forced to sit out a few, there’s massive expectations on his shoulders when he comes back. But Carter-Vickers said: “I’m comfortable with it because I know it’s not completely true.

“It’s not the case that if I’m in the team we win. I can obviously help but it’s on everyone else as well. It’s nice for people to say but the reality is it’s probably a combined effort from everyone.” That has been the case this term as Celtic have benefited from a cast of solid defenders


Carter-Vickers and Liam Scales formed a formidable partnership last term but fellow USA international Auston Trusty has slotted into the mix and become another key man in the side. It’s difficult to tell who is first choice between Scales and Trusty right now – and there have been times when the two lefties have played together and performed well – like in the superb rearguard display against Atalanta in Italy.

It’s a squad game but when Carter-Vickers is fit he’s seen as the one certainty on the team-sheet. And not just because of his defensive ability. The 26-year-old is never going to be an old-fashioned centre-back whose bark is every bit as bad as his bite. It’s not his style.


Carter-Vickers is a quiet man by nature but that doesn’t mean he’s not a leader. He has become one of Rodgers’ on-field generals and while he might not be ranting and raving, he’s more than ready to play a leading role when it comes to inspiring his side. Carter-Vickers said: “I don’t really think about that too much. When I’m out there I try to help the team as much as I can.


If I can affect others and maybe help them raise their game then that’s even better. For me, when I’m out there it’s about trying to help the team win as many games as possible

That begins again with Hearts at Tynecastle on Saturday – the scene of one of his few defeats. The big man wasn’t risked on Rugby Park’s plastic pitch before the international break after a tough run of fixtures on his return to the side.


But manager Rodgers expects to have his lucky charm around for the trip to Gorgie. The manager said: “Cameron had three games in a short period of time after being out for a little period.

“So he has done Dundee, Aberdeen and RB Leipzig in close proximity. He felt a little fatigue in his hamstring with the work that we’ve put into him. But it’s nothing serious. We didn’t want to risk anything and he will be ready for Hearts when we come back.

 

Feels like he misses 75% of CL games. We know he’s played through the pain barrier before for months when he put his surgery off in Ange’s second season until we beat the huns in the semi and was * immense that day. So it’s not like he’s being a shitebag but it puts us in a difficult situation where you can’t sign a first choice centre half despite knowing your best one will be out a third of the time,

 

Looks like he’s just going to be one of those players that needs carefully managed.

 

Which maybe has the silver lining of he stays with us for the long term which would be fantastic.

 

That semi final performance from him is seared in my memory for just… sheer bravery. Could tell his body wasn’t up to how he would usually play, so he was throwing himself at everything blocking, clearances, was in clear pain. One of the least ‘controlled’ performances you’ll see from him and he was a giant.

Think if anything it’s up to us to protect him when he would play through some niggles, but with Trusty and Scales fit and firing, we can afford to. We still have a slight drop off when he doesn’t play, even with they two playing very well but it’s no longer that colossal drop off where when he’s not there, the full team looked nervy not having him as a solid foundation.

 

Him and Starfelt were immense that day, not often as a Celtic centre half you need so sit and defend your box and those two had 2 or 3 against the Huns they were first to everything.

I think it’s fine in theory to manage his games but i absolutely hate when theres two left footed centre halves, throws the whole balance of the team off in build up IMO.

Then you’d say play Welsh or Nawrocki but Scales would rightly be ticked off.

 

Starfelt is a good point he gets overlooked thqt performance just because CCV was insane.

I agree with the two left footed CB’s, somehow a lot more unbalanced than 2 right footed players. But Scales and Trusty are so far above the other’s performance wise and reliable options than any others mentioned. And hopefully, if we do it right we start to get 90% of games with CCV there.

 

It’s a strange but very real thing about two left footed centre halves, Guardiola has a good clup explaining it with wide playere but Trusty is night and day between the space of ten yards.

Welsh and Nawrocki are actually very good 4th and 5th choice at our level if we need them.

 

I can remember it being a thing WGS would point out when the two inform cb’s were O’Dea and Big Mick. It definitely is a thing. I agree with the 4th/5th sentiment but don’t think the balance they bring outweighs having Trusty and Scales comfortable choices.

But the difference on the ball with Trusty RCB to LCB is massive. First we seen him there it was that much improved it caught me off guard.

where can I watch the Pep thing btw? Love stuff like that