Gordon reflects on turnaround
Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon will enjoy the type of festive season he did not even dare to dream about a year ago.
Last Christmas the 31-year-old was without a club after leaving Sunderland in May, 2012 and had a knee injury which looked as if it might end his career.
However, Gordon fought back and won himself a deal with the Hoops in the summer and after taking over as number one when Fraser Forster left for Southampton, he has gone from strength to strength.
The former Hearts keeper has returned to the Scotland fold, is looking forward to facing Inter Milan in the last-32 of the Europa League and is in with a chance of winning three domestic trophies
Ahead of the visit of Ross County on Saturday, Gordon was asked if he could have predicted such a rehabilitation.
"No chance," he said. "That has by far exceeded anything I thought was possible.
"This time last year I wasn't contracted anywhere so I stayed at home with family. This year is a little bit different
"At the same time it shows what can be done if you work hard enough to get there.
"I put the hard work in, I did everything I possibly could and I got to the point of fitness where I could concentrate on football.
"When I came to Celtic I didn't know whether Fraser would still be here or where I would be in the goalkeeping ranks but it couldn't have worked out much better.
"Number one was an aim but I didn't know if it was achievable.
"I managed to get in there and play a number of games.
"But I can't rest on that, I have to continue to push on and try to improve.
"I would love to finish the season as a winner of one, maybe two, maybe three trophies.
"We will try our best but we know how difficult that is going to be and we seen that at the weekend, on any given day teams can beat you."
Gordon was referring to the 2-1 defeat by Dundee United at Tannadice which kept the champions four points clear at the top of the Premiership.
However, the Hoops keeper is confident that Celtic will bounce back against the struggling Staggies.
"The performance wasn't that bad," he said.
"We have played worse and won games this season.
"A lot of things didn't seem to go our way on the day, like hitting the post, but we created chances so we can't be too disheartened.
"We pick ourselves up and hopefully go again and go on another run.
"It is an awkward one against Ross County.
"They are capable of scoring goals and we have to be wary of that."
Ross County midfielder Filip Kiss has welcomed the upcoming hectic schedule as an opportunity to get out of their predicament at the foot of the Scottish Premiership.
Second-bottom County fell five points adrift of guaranteed safety at the weekend and face champions Celtic.
But they start and finish a six-match run in January against Highland rivals Inverness and the Slovakia international midfielder is determined to capitalise on the opportunity to pick up points.
The 24-year-old former Slovan Bratislava player - who is on loan from Cardiff - said: "In my country we had weeks off during Christmas and New Year so this is different but it's my fourth year in the UK so I have got used to it and I kind of like it. I miss the family time but it's the football world and I'm glad to be here."
Kiss, who is fully fit after a thigh strain, added: "The best way is to be positive - when you lose it's good to have a game coming up soon and when you win you are on a good run so you want to play again and move up the table.
"It's going to be a massive month and every game is going to be massive for our season."
Source: PA
