'You’ve got to be a winner. You win at all costs,' Kelvin Wilson

Brendan Rodgers’ side have plenty of central defensive choices, with Cameron Carter-Vickers and Liam Scales occupying the starting roles just now. Auston Trusty remains a reliable option for the Irishman, and the recent arrival of Jahmai Simpson-Pusey—whose season-long loan from Manchester City was confirmed last week—adds further competition for places.

The remaining centre-back choices for Rodgers include Celtic academy products Dane Murray and Stephen Welsh, with Welsh reportedly poised to depart the club this month following a successful six month loan spell in Belgium last season.

As for Trusty, the £5.5 million recruit from Sheffield United last summer has begun both league fixtures among the substitutes, but has come on in the second half of each game and has done well.

Familiar with spending time on the fringes, Wilson’s debut season at Celtic was hampered by injuries and inconsistent performances, but he established himself as an influential player under Neil Lennon in the memorable 2012/2013 campaign.

Speaking via Daily Record, Wilson said: “I think every player is different. Some get a little bit complacent and think it’s going to be easy going up to Celtic, and it’s not. You can’t just win a game 1-0 because you’re going to get hammered by the press and fans. You’ve got to win convincingly and play well week in, week out.

“I think for the lad [Trusty], he’s had his first season, he knows what it’s about now. It’s just getting into your mindset of what you need to do to be a Celtic player.”

“You don’t go out there expecting someone to win you the game.”

“It’s a winning mentality,” Wilson added. “People don’t understand when you say that. You learn how to win. You’ve got to be a winner. You win at all costs. You don’t go out there expecting someone to win you the game.”

Over his two seasons with Celtic, Wilson featured in 76 matches and secured three domestic trophies. After limited action in his debut 2011/2012 season with 22 appearances, he became a regular play for Lennon the next year, playing 50 games across domestic and Champions League matches.

Interestingly, the former Preston North End and Nottingham Forest defender revealed that competing in European matches with Celtic felt less pressured compared to the constant expectations to win domestically.

“I think it’s more physical up in Scotland. Every game against Celtic is a cup final”

Wilson said: “I think it’s more physical up in Scotland. Every game against Celtic is a cup final, and teams want to prove a point. Teams want to impress, maybe get a move to Celtic or get a move to a bigger club. So, you’re playing against that week in, week out.

“It’s every single week that you need to turn up and deal with the pressures of being a Celtic player. And it’s one of them that every team wants to beat you. This sounds weird because people are going to say you play against a better opposition. I think in the Champions League, sometimes it’s easier. You might be the underdog sometimes. You’re playing against better players, so your game automatically lifts.”

“That’s the difference between a top player like Scott Brown and a player who doesn’t really succeed at Celtic and moves on pretty quickly.”

“I think when you go back to the SPFL, you probably get a little bit complacent sometimes,” he continued. “You expect that you’re going to win. I think that’s the case sometimes. That’s the difference between a top player like Scott Brown and a player who doesn’t really succeed at Celtic and moves on pretty quickly. I played with a few who didn’t play at all when I was at Celtic. It’s about having that winning mentality of turning up, week in, week out.”

Conor Spence