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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Robbie Hanratty

James Forrest continues Celtic hunger for silverware ahead of latest title defence

James Forrest is Celtic's second most decorated player, with 24 major honours to his name. 

The Hoops winger was reintroduced into the starting XI from the periphery of Brendan Rodgers' squad and played a key role in Celtic clinching a Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup Double at the end of the 2023/24 season.

The scintillating form produced by the 33-year-old even earned him a place in Steve Clarke's Scotland squad at Euro 2024, although he failed to make an appearance during the tournament.

Back at club level, he's just one trophy away from equalling Bobby Lennox's record of 25 honours - and going by his comments ahead of the domestic campaign getting underway against Kilmarnock this weekend, the experienced star is hungry for more silverware. 


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"I think it's important," he told Sky Sports. "You learn with Celtic if you win a cup or a league it is all about how hungry you are and how you bounce back for the next one.

"It has always been like that with Celtic for so many years. It will be like that again this season. The boys have come back hungry again in pre-season and it has been a good couple of weeks and we are looking forward to the new season."

Asked what it mean if he was able to do add more honours to his impressive CV, he replied:  "In football, you can never think too far ahead. If you start thinking you are going to do this or that it doesn't happen.

"The most important thing is...and it is a boring answer...is that you focus on every day and the next game. That's why we have had so much success over the years. That's what the club has concentrated on for years with the players and the staff.

"It has been a pleasure to play for the club for so long and win so many trophies and I am just looking forward to trying to do it again this season."

There's no doubt Forrest is a role model to anyone arriving at Parkhead, whether that be through the youth academy or integrating into the Glasgow giants' first team from elsewhere. 

And he admits any newbies don't need to look far to realise the sheer size of Celtic Football Club.

"When new signings come in, they realise pretty quickly how big the club is even if they didn't know before they came," the Hoops' longest serving player stated.

"The players and the amount of staff that have been here for years as well they realise it is a really tight group. New signings and young players coming through adapt to that very quickly and that helps the boys who have been here for a while as well."

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