Celtic goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo has been tipped for a potential Scottish Premiership debut against Hearts at Celtic Park on Saturday. The Finnish shot-stopper, who joined from Aston Villa last summer, could be handed the opportunity due to Kasper Schmeichel’s ongoing injury concerns.
Former Teammate Praises Sinisalo’s Talent
Gary Woods, Sinisalo’s former teammate at Exeter City, has spoken highly of the 23-year-old’s ability and temperament. Woods, who managed just one appearance last season due to Sinisalo’s outstanding performances, told RecordSport: “Viljami was fantastic with some match-winning performances. A really nice lad, really good pro, works hard, wants to learn, self-critical. You could just see him grow in stature as the season went on.”
A Rising Star Between the Posts
Sinisalo’s performances at Exeter earned him a reputation as one of the most promising young goalkeepers in the EFL. Woods highlighted his excellent shot-stopping ability and, in particular, his technique in one-on-one situations. “One of his strongest points was one-on-ones. He had a really, really good technique coming out one-on-one,” Woods noted.
The Right Mentality for Celtic
Playing for a club the size of Celtic comes with immense pressure, but Woods believes Sinisalo has the right mentality to thrive. “I think he’s got the temperament to play for Celtic. He backs himself and his ability. But in a good way, no arrogance,” he said. “He knows he’s a good goalkeeper but he backed it up with his performances last season.”
Learning from the Best
Sinisalo’s development has been shaped by working with top-class goalkeepers. As a Finland international, he has trained alongside Bayer Leverkusen’s Lukas Hradecky, and at Celtic, he is surrounded by experienced professionals. “At Celtic, he’s got an outstanding goalie coach in Stevie Woods. I don’t think you can get a much better mentor than him in the goalie world,” Woods said. “Then you’ve got Kasper Schmeichel, what a goalkeeper to learn off every day. Scott Bain as well. It’s a fantastic group of goalkeepers he’s got there that will be pushing each other every day.”
San Marino’s Filippo Berardi celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates as Finland’s Viljami Sinisalo reacts REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini
A Future Celtic No.1?
Celtic’s decision to bring Sinisalo in as a long-term project has been praised, with Woods backing him to potentially become the club’s No.1 goalkeeper in the future. “Would I back him to be Celtic’s number one in the future? Of the evidence that I saw in my year with him, then yeah. But only he can determine whether he becomes Celtic’s number one or not.”
