Erik Sviatchenko has been speaking to Danish newspaper BT about his time at Celtic so far, and it all sounds very positive.
Joining Celtic in January from FC Midtjylland, Sviatchenko believes he’s progressing under manager Brendan Rodgers and becoming a better player. Being at Celtic has also allowed Sviatchenko to play in the Champions League and the defender believes this will also help him mature his game.
“It has been a fantastic year. I don’t know if I would say that it has gone beyond all expectations, because I had taken the decision that it would the right move.”
Signed by Ronny Deila, there may have been worry that Sviatchenko could then struggle with Brendan Rodgers, but the Celtic ace believes things may have gone even better since: “I didn’t know that there would be a trainer switch along the way, but it might have been perfect for me that the new coach came in.”
Sometimes when speaking to their own press, footballers talk up the possibility of a transfer, but Sviatchenko doesn’t seem interested in that at the moment, and it totally concentrating on improving on the pitch.
“I have developed really a lot, and I can see myself developing much more. We have an incredibly exciting setup… There is also the carrot that you can get out and play Champions League again. Right now I think most of being in the moment, and I enjoy that I have gone through my first year here.”
It’s been a big year for Sviatchenko off the pitch too. The defender’s son was born in Scotland and is now 9 months old, and that makes the family’s Celtic experience even more special: “There will always be a connection that is deeper than just having played here.”
