Celtsarehere got to speak to Cameron Carter-Vickers ahead of the much-anticipated Aberdeen match this Sunday. The Celtic defender opened up about the challenges he faced last season, revealing the extent of his injury and how he managed through it for the team.
His heroic performance in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup against The Rangers ensured Celtic’s shot at the treble. But behind the scenes, the player was fighting his own battle. Speaking in his press conference, CCV shed light on the injury that plagued him for months.
“It was quite a while,” he began “Long before Christmas I initially did it. The pain wasn’t bad consistently, there were lows and highs, but it was definitely something I needed to get sorted and now that it is I am in a good spot.”
For many players, an injury can be a career-defining moment, often leading to time away from the pitch. But for CCV, it was a challenge he was willing to face head-on. “My understanding of the injury was, the likelihood was it was never going to get worse in terms of the actual damage in the knee. So it wasn’t too much of a risk. It was just mainly pain management,” he explained.
His dedication to the team and the game was evident as he spoke about the lengths he went to ensure he was match-ready. “Some weeks I maybe wouldn’t train at the start of the week, I would just come in towards the end of the week to be ready for the game. It was about managing the pain and trying to play 90 minutes at the weekend really.”
But what stands out most in CCV’s narrative is his commitment to Celtic. “I wanted to go as far as I could with it. I wanted to be there to help the team if I could and I still felt I could contribute in a positive way,” he shared, highlighting his determination to push through the pain barrier for the sake of his teammates and fans.
The decision to finally undergo knee surgery was not taken lightly. “I knew I needed it done but my view was that I would be guided by the management and the physios as to when it should happen. They thought that when I did get it done would be the best time, when we had most things wrapped up from last season and also to be ready for the beginning of this season.”
As Celtic gears up for the Aberdeen clash, fans can take heart in the knowledge that players like Cameron Carter-Vickers in their ranks, ready to go above and beyond for the team and the support.
