BEING a centre-back at Celtic may once have been looked upon as something of a cushy number. Most weeks domestically, after all, you are playing for a team that keeps the ball at the other end of the pitch for the majority of the game.
There is no such thing as a comfort zone at the club any more though, with defenders expected to contribute in possession just as much as their attacking counterparts, and the centre-halfs tasked with being the starting point for the attack under Ange Postecoglou’s system.
For a time in his early career at Celtic, it seemed as though Carl Starfelt was struggling to adjust to the expectations that were now being placed upon him, both in terms of what he was required to bring to the team in a footballing sense, and by his own admission, what was required mentally to cope with the demands of winning week-in, week-out.
In his first season at the club, he has been pushed to places as a player that he has never gone before, but the end result has been huge growth as both a professional and as a person, as his partnership with Cameron Carter-Vickers has flourished to the extent that £7m Christopher Jullien has barely had a sniff of first-team action since his return from long-term injury.
Postecoglou placed his faith in the defender, and he was rewarded handsomely as the Swede became an integral part of his title-winning side, just as Starfelt has been rewarded by becoming a much more accomplished all-round player.
“I have developed a lot, especially on the ball," Starfelt told the Celtic View. "You also need another mentality here because there’s a need to win every game.
“Where I played before, it’s different because you wanted the players to feel secure on the pitch and you want them to do the things they are good at and feel safe on the pitch.
“Here, you are put on the edge all of the time and you need to have the bravery to still do these things knowing that if you miss a pass or have a bad defensive action you have no one to cover up for you.
“That mentality has changed a lot for me and it’s why I think you develop a lot more when you are put on the edge, not only in games but in training as well.
“The manager has been really good and he’s the one that wants us to play this type of way and take risks.
“He’s also the one who backs his players if they make a mistake on the pitch and he’s been very clear about the fact that we don’t have to worry about mistakes and to have a positive mind-set and play our game and follow the match plan.”
A major part of Celtic’s success under Postecoglou thus far has undoubtedly been the manager’s ability to get not only his players, but the entire club and the fanbase to buy into him and the direction that he has set Celtic on.
For Starfelt, that unity of purpose was undoubtedly a key factor in their title triumph, and he is hoping to repay the unwavering support of the fans – which was evident even in the difficult early days of Postecoglou’s reign - with more trophies next term.
“It’s been a great season and I think all the players really enjoy playing this type of football under a manager who is pushing us to become better versions of ourselves every day,” he said.
“It’s very special that we have managed to come through everything, push ourselves forward as a team and end the season with the league title.
“To do it for the fans, who have had our back all year and have been unbelievable in home and away games, it’s almost been a full house in every game.
“It’s not just in this city, they are buzzing about football and it’s so big here, so to get the trophy for them is amazing.”
