DAVID TURNBULL says that a heart-to-heart between the Celtic players has galvanised the squad to turn their season around, starting against Hamilton at Celtic Park tonight.
Without a game since last Wednesday’s draw at Livingston, Celtic have been able to spend time putting things right on the training ground, and the attacking midfielder believes they are ready to show they are a much better side than their recent form suggests.
“We’ve all got together in training, we’ve worked hard as we can and we’re determined to put things right,” Turnbull said.
“We didn’t have a game at the weekend but it gave us a lot more time to work on things.
“Obviously, there were a lot of boys out for a spell. But seeing everyone come back has given everybody a boost.
“We’ll take that into the game [tonight] and look to kick on.”
Turnbull’s own form has been one of the few silver linings of a dark period for Celtic of late, and the former Motherwell man believes it is only a matter of time before the whole team get back to the levels they were showing when he first broke into the starting XI back in December.
“It’s been good, personally, scoring goals and getting assists and playing well,” he said.
“I just want to keep trying to do that and producing for the team and the club. Hopefully we’ll start picking up the wins and try and go on a run.
“When I came in, we won our first game and we went on a run from there. So, it wasn’t really [difficult] when I came in, it was actually a good spell that followed. We were playing well and scoring a lot of goals and I just want us to get back to that.
“We’ve been playing well and creating a lot of chances. But, we just need to take more of them and tighten up at the back, try to stop making individual errors. If we can get them out the game then I’m sure we’ll do better.
“We just keep going every game and we believe as much as we can. We just try to go on a run and win as many games as we can.
“We won’t stop fighting [for the league title] until it’s mathematically over. We’ll just keep pushing and fighting as a team and stick together.”
As well as the faint hope of keeping Celtic’s title ambitions alive to motivate him, Turnbull also has his sights set on a place in Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad for the European Championships once the domestic season is over.
He knows that he can only achieve that ambition if he continues to perform for his club, but feels he can offer something unique to the Scotland midfield.
“You always hope and I’ve got that in the back of my mind,” he said. “I’m taking on board as much as I can and trying to play well.
“At the moment, I’m putting Scotland to the back of my mind. I’m concentrating on Celtic, doing as well as I can for the team. Whatever happens after that will be a bonus.
“Obviously, the full [Scotland] team’s doing brilliant and as everyone says, it’s a strong midfield with great players.
“But, I feel I could add to that with what I bring for Celtic, my kind of game and my own style.
“So, yes, I think I could bring something different.”
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