CARL Starfelt has proven himself to be an integral player for the club, despite an extremely disappointing start.

Despite enduring criticism from certain sectors of the media and pundits, Starfelt’s contributions to Celtic have been exceptional since joining the Hoops.

Playing a key role in a resilient defence, he has played his part in securing four out of six trophies, with the potential for a fifth on the horizon.

Starfelt has voiced his support for his teammate, Yuki Kobayashi.

The 22-year-old defender has encountered a period of poor form and has patiently awaited his chance while Tomoki Iwata was selected to partner Starfelt on Trophy Day after living up alongside him in the previous home match against St Mirren.

Kobayashi, who many already believe will not cut it at Celtic, has played away at Tynecastle, Ibrox and Easter Road in the last few weeks, struggling to show the player many hoped he could be.

Carl Starfelt told the Herald:

“Of course, I am trying to help in the best way I can.

“I’m sure everyone on the pitch is doing the same. I will of course try to speak to him and help him, as I will do with all the other players.

“I think he is really tidy on the ball and he is a good defender as well. It is not fair to only judge someone based on three games where the team haven’t been playing good.

“You can’t look only at these three games and judge someone because then all of the 11 players on the pitch would be bad players. It is not as easy as that.

“Also, the games he has played before he has shown himself to be really good on the ball and a good defender as well. I have to keep on building a relationship with him because he has good qualities that hopefully he will show more of in the future.”

Kobayashi has just come from the J-League, playing a full season in the country before finishing the Scottish league season, a well-deserved rest and a full pre-season under Ange Postecoglou could do him the world of good.