David Turnbull thinks Kyogo Furuhashi is so good that there are times where he is a step ahead of his Celtic teammates.
The Japanese star netted 20 goals in all competitions for Ange Postecoglou’s league and cup winners and has already said he is looking to at least match that this season. Turnbull is a big fan of the Celtic striker and knows his movement is so good that if you put a ball through you know he is going to get on the end of it.
The pair have already struck up a decent understanding and that was shown in the weekend 3-3 draw with Rapid Vienna where they set-up each other for goals. Turnbull said: "I played with him all of last season and I love playing alongside him. We had a good partnership then and against Rapid we linked up for two of the goals. He’s a joy to play with. It’s great to know that he will make the runs in behind and he can find me as well.
"Just his movement and his runs in behind are brilliant. Sometimes he’s even one step ahead I feel, and you can’t get the ball through to him. If you play it early though he’s always onside and ready to be there.”
Turnbull knows it is important to have goals from all across the team and he wants to keep chipping in from the middle of the park.
He explained: “Yeah, I just try to contribute to the team, and if that’s scoring or creating goals or whatever, it’s just about doing my best for the team and if they come along then I’m happy with that.
“If you look back, I think a few of my goals have been like that as well. I try to score all types of goals and whatever way they come I’m happy with them."
Turnbull and the rest of Celtic’s international players got 45 minutes in the 3-3 draw against Rapid Vienna and that will be added to when they play Banik Ostrava on Wednesday and Blackburn Rovers at the weekend.
He acknowledged: “You’ll always be disappointed losing a goal with the very last touch of the game, so that was a kick in the teeth, but we’re obviously satisfied to get 45 minutes in our legs, up against a good team. They moved the ball well and it was a good test for us.
"We’re feeling good. It’s been a good pre-season camp over here. The facilities are great and we’ve been working hard every day. We obviously had the first game the other night and then Rapid, and both have gone well, so we’re looking forward to the games coming up.”
Competition within the squad is also fierce for every position. He knows everyone is pushing for a place in Postecoglou’s starting XI.
Turnbull insisted: “It’s as strong as the squad has been. We’ve seen that this pre-season. We had two teams in the two forty-fives against Rapid and everybody is ready to make their mark.
“It’s good for everybody in the team to have that competition and it’s going to be tough for everybody. I think it will push up the level again. Boys will step up the standards in training, and on the pitch and off the pitch the boys will be doing everything they can to get into the team. It’s great for everyone and for the manager, it will be tough for him to pick.”
The Celtic player reckons that is driving standards up from within and looking to kick on. He said: “I feel you need to do your best to step up every game and every week you need to keep trying to improve, whether that is in training or on the pitch during the games.
“Everybody is fighting for that place in the team, so you need to do your best every game and that’s what I’m going to try to do. I want to improve and I feel I’m improving every week and in every game. That’s what I want to do and I feel I’m bringing a lot to the team.
“Hopefully I can bring more goals and more assists, whatever it is, and defensively work as hard as I can.”
Turnbull also knows that going into the group stage of the Champions League that is the way it has to be.
“I think we can take it on another step,” the former Motherwell player stated. We’ve obviously got Champions League football this year to look forward to and doing our best in the league.
“We’ll be looking to do that, as we did last season, and just perform better and better in each game. It will be great. I think it’s everybody’s dream to play in the Champions League.
“Going straight into the group stage will be a very hard challenge, but all the boys are really looking forward to it and I can’t wait.”
Captain Callum McGregor has already played at that level and Turnbull admitted he is a big influence on him. He explained: “We’ve obviously got Cal, he’s the captain and it’s been great to play alongside him. I love playing with him, he helps me a lot and he talks to me. He’s probably the one I would say I would go to if I needed anything.”
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