Welcome to Celtic Auston Trusty

Auston Trusty’s first experience of UEFA Champions League football came this season when he was part of the Celtic squad which beat Slovan Bratislava 5-1 on a thrilling night of European football at Paradise.

The 26-year-old defender made his Celtic debut that September night, coming on in the last five minutes for his fellow countryman, Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Since then, the American internationalist has started every Champions League game as Brendan Rodgers’ side have collected eight points from their five fixtures, and he’s looking forward to the next challenge – an away game against Dinamo Zagreb this Tuesday.

Speaking ahead of the game, Trusty said: “I’m enjoying the Champions League a lot.

"I’m from a small town outside Philadelphia, so to play in this competition is a dream come true and every opportunity I get to play for this club in this competition I don’t take for granted.

“There’s not much of a difference in preparation. The environment we have means that every game has to be treated the same way. It’s the same for every domestic league game in terms of intensity.

“As a player, to know that you back every one of the guys and they can all make an impact is really good. I have full faith and trust in everybody.”

 

AUSTON TRUSTY doesn’t just want to conquer the cream of Europe as a player – he wants to be the best in the WORLD.

The £6 million stopper has got into his stride at Celtic, becoming first choice alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers, and absolutely no one can ever accuse the USA star of lacking ambition.


Trusty will again line up on the Champions League stage against Dinamo Zagreb and, having recovered from the mauling in Dortmund on matchday two to be superb in a clean sheet against Atalanta in Bergamo, he’s not looked back.

It’s a momentous period of the 26-year-old’s life - he and his partner recently revealed on social media their impending parenthood.

Now Trusty’s in the thick of the biggest club competition on the planet, while there’s a chance on Sunday to win his first medal with Celtic, the Premier Sports Cup final.

Trusty said: "I'm really hard on myself and I want to be the best in the world - I want to be the best player in the world


At the same time I'm playing my game, I'm doing my thing.

"It's the life that you want, as a footballer and as a partner to my fiancée, future wife.

"It's just part of life and I'm enjoying every moment and living every moment.

"To have that opportunity in front of you, you want to take advantage of it, so, it's cool to have that opportunity


I'm here to live my dream and my dream is playing football overseas in Europe and playing football every single day.

"To be able to do it for this historic club, it's a dream


We try to treat every game the same, with the same intensity, because that's how you end up getting results.

"Whatever the game needs, myself and the rest of my team will do what we need.


Everyone just gets on with it, it's empowering and you want to be part of a group like that.

"You want to be around and surrounded by guys like that as well.

"I think the coaches have brought in people who have experienced stuff as well.

"I think any environment we go into we've seen before or at least have some kind of experience dealing with, we're ready for anything.

As long as I have my mindset, I can achieve what I want to achieve."

The mentality of the Celtic squad really has hugely impressed Trusty.

An early discussion with Brendan Rodgers set up the former Colorado Rapids and Sheffield United centre-half about the group he was going into – and how high the expectations were.

And he added: "Well I was told [about the expectations] right away, when I first started here I had a meeting with the gaffer


They deliver to everybody just to let you know what you're walking into and the expectations, what they want to see from you, all sorts.


Me knowing what Celtic is and the history of Celtic, you know that's the environment you're going to walk into.

"So I love it and I want to take advantage of it."

 

Thought he was our best player tonight. We didn't set the heather alight but he was solid.

 

Honestly have very little worries with him and CCV at the back for us.

 

Honestly think he’s class.

 

He was solid. That partnership with Carter-Vickers is a blessing.

 

Love the big *.

 

So glad Sheffield United fans know * all about football

 

Definitely seems like we got 2-for-1 in value for the pair we got... Both worth way more than we paid!

 

He seems a really good lad.

 

What's the story, was he injured?

 

I think we brought Scales on as he's better bringing the ball up the pitch, I thought it worked a treat tbh, we started moving the ball about a lot better.

 

Good stuff. Nerves were shredded during the game so I assumed the worst.

 

I thought it was a mistake taking him off, scales can carry it but his passing and final ball is absolutely chronic, trusty much more commanding too.

 

Scales' passing is excellent these days, think you're going by previous seasons where he struggled but not the case now. Made a huge improvement in that regard.

 

5 yard passes are hard to be bad at tbh, his crossing and other forms are absolutely awful.