CELTIC’S dressing room is quickly becoming a rich tapestry of culture and sophistication. Just ask Kristoffer Ajer.
In an age where your stereotypical footballer contents himself with video games, trips to Nando’s and hour-long sessions updating their social media feeds, there are one or two at Parkhead who are now aiming to bring a bit of culture to the place.
Erik Sviatchenko did just that when he arrived earlier in the year. The man who runs his own fashion blog and photography site is also no stranger to the odd art gallery.
However, nobody quite matches up to that of Ajer, or should that be Doctor Ajer?
The 18-year-old, who joined up with his Celtic team-mates last month after signing a pre-contract in February while still at Norwegian club Start, is currently going into his third year of training to become a doctor.
It is an unusual secondary career choice for a sportsman, but Ajer is looking forward to juggling his studies as well as the pursuit of football success at Paradise.
“Yeah. I finished my second year at the school and will finish my third year while I’m here in Glasgow,” he said.
“I will finish my third year at college then I’ll study medicine after at the University of Glasgow.
“One day when I end my career I’ll be a doctor hopefully.
“It may be unusual but you have so much time after training every day. You can use it on Playstation and sit back and watch movies, or you can study. I want to study.”
The tall defender’s arrival at Celtic could have come just at the right time for Brendan Rodgers.
The Hoops manager is currently without Dedryck Boyata, Efe Ambrose, Jozo Simunovic and Charlie Mulgrew as he gears up for the Champions League qualifiers in under two weeks.
He will have been encouraged by what he saw from Ajer on Thursday night. In a 2-2 draw with Celje of Slovenia, the Norwegian turned in a steady performance during the first half before Rodgers fielded a different team.
“It’s been great coming back with Brendan Rodgers as manager,” said Ajer. “It’s been really exciting and all the boys are working really hard in the first week.
“I’m good, happy and looking forward to the rest of the trip in Slovenia.
“Of course it was a [nervous] time when I wondered who the new manager would be. But when I saw it was Brendan Rodgers I was really excited.
“He’s a big manager and I couldn’t wait to meet him and start to impress him.
“The first week with him has been great, all the players have done well, it’s really good.”
The training camp in Maribor is about much more than getting fitness levels up and match experience under the belt. Ajer knows that only too well.
For him, it offers the chance to get to know a group of players he has been watching from afar since February, even though it could bring him some embarrassment.
He said: “Of course I need to get to know everyone, learn the difficult Scottish language! When Scotty Allan and Scott Brown are talking I still can’t understand what they are saying.
“I will learn that and get used to it.
“There is an initiation song I will do in the next couple of days and I’m looking forward to that.
“I think I’ll sing I’m Yours by Jason Mraz, I don’t know.
“Erik Sviatchenko told me to sing the national anthem but I thought it was too boring.”
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