Source: Team_Talk
Hesselink hoping for new Hoops deal
The Holland striker has doubled his goalscoring tally for the season in the last week with strikes against Hamilton and Falkirk.[LNB]He now wants to claim his fifth successive league championship medal after winning two each with PSV Eindhoven and Celtic.[LNB]The Dutchman has admitted a return to his former club would suit him at some stage in his career.[LNB]But he wants to extend his three-year stay in Glasgow before going back to the Netherlands.[LNB]The 30-year-old said: "I would love to be a Celtic player (next season). I have said it every time when I speak to people.[LNB]"Always people think, when you are from abroad, that maybe you want to return to your home country. But that's not on my mind right now.[LNB]"The main focus is winning the games, then the second thing is winning the championship and after that we will see what happens with my personal career.[LNB]"I want to be involved in this club because, if you play for champions every year, and play in the Champions League, and play in front of 60,000 people, I don't think you want to change that."[LNB]However Vennegoor of Hesselink, who was speaking to the media before setting off with the team ahead of the clash at Hearts, revealed he had not held contract talks with club officials yet.[LNB]"Not yet, so hopefully it's coming," he said. "I will see how that goes in the next couple of weeks.[LNB]"Before the end of the season, we will know what's happening."[LNB]Celtic manager Gordon Strachan confirmed he wanted the Dutchman to stay.[LNB]He said: "Oh yes, I have said that many times."[LNB]Vennegoor of Hesselink is in a far stronger bargaining position after netting in both of Celtic's 4-0 victories in the past six days.[LNB]The targetman's only other goals in an injury-hit season came against Aberdeen in September.[LNB]He admitted relief at finding the net again and feels he had become a victim of his own desperation to break his drought.[LNB]"When you have had a difficult period scoring wise, it's always nice to score a goal," he said. "When you have a few games without scoring, I would be lying if I said it didn't mean anything.[LNB]"But that's how football is. Sometimes you have these spells, you have to concentrate on doing your work and your part for the team, and eventually it comes again.[LNB]"It was not because I didn't work hard enough. Maybe you do too much work. You want to force it, maybe.[LNB]"You have to be a little bit lucky also. The last goal I scored was with part of my body.[LNB]"Sometimes, if you try too hard, it sometimes works against you. That maybe was the point a little bit, but it can turn around very quickly."[LNB]Vennegoor of Hesselink admitted he had been under pressure to rediscover his scoring touch.[LNB]"You want to score goals," he said. "It's not the main thing you think about - you want to be important for the team.[LNB]"But people from the outside look at you, you're a striker and you have to score goals.[LNB]"If you don't do that for a long time, it makes you hungry but you work hard in training and eventually it will come again.[LNB]"I'm not the only person it has happened to. It's something you have to cope with. You're a professional and you know what you have to do."[LNB]The striker is now focused on helping the champions extend their lead in the SPL to six points with victory at Tynecastle, at least until Rangers play Motherwell later in the day.[LNB]Only Celtic and Kilmarnock have beaten third-placed Hearts on their own ground during the SPL season but Vennegoor of Hesselink is relishing the trip to Edinburgh.[LNB]"I always like it over there at Tynecastle," he said. "It's a tight ground, people are right on top of you.[LNB]"It's going to be a difficult game but the most important thing is getting three points.[LNB]"They have had a good season and they are pushing and want to be in Europe. We always have a difficult time there but, the last result, we had a good victory and I hope it's the same again.[LNB]"When there's so much at stake, especially at this time of the season, you want to be involved in those games.[LNB]"It always gives you a lift when people are a little bit hostile and against you. If you go away with three points, it makes you happier as well."[LNB][LNB]
