Cameron Carter Vickers has new Celtic study partner as Maik Nawrocki takes notes to keep up Carl Starfelt record
The American and Starfelt did their homework and it paid off, now the new kid in class will step in to take over.
Cameron Carter-Vickers believes regular chat and screen clips can help him and Maik Nawrocki create another powerful Celtic partnership.
The US international defender admits constant dialogue on and off the park and watching videos was key to his outstanding work with Carl Starfelt. Carter-Vickers and the Swede built a terrific understanding and, incredibly, Celtic didn’t lose a Premiership game the pair started together in their two seasons.
Starfelt has broken the duo with his move to Spanish side Celta Vigo and Brendan Rodgers will replace the departed ace before the close of the transfer window. But Nawrocki has first crack at impressing the boss. The Pole started against Ross County in last week’s top-flight opener and is set to be tested again tomorrow in Aberdeen. Carter-Vickers sees bags of ability in his new team-mate and says hard work and open lines of communication can see the pair hit it off.
He said: “You can see the qualities Maik has every day in training. He’s a very good player and I look forward to playing alongside him.
“All defensive partnerships take time. When me and Carl used to play together, the more we played, the better it got. That is natural.
“It’s time and communication. Going through clips from games or when you’re out on the training pitch talking to each other, saying in this situation I want to do this. You then know if he’s going to do that then I’ll do this. It’s about time and understanding each other’s games and from that you can know where to be in correlation to each other.
“Every player talks everyday in training.It’s already started but it does take time. Similar to if you change styles it takes time to make those connections instant. It’s something we’re working on.”
Nawrocki has big boots to fill and, asked how Starfelt should be remembered as a Celtic star, his old partner said: “As a great player. I did really enjoy playing with him. He was a very strong defender.
“He won a lot of his duels and towards the end I found it really easy to play with him. He was a top player.”
The unbeaten record as a pair, though, was a source of amusement as Carter-Vickers said: “There were probably a few games where we conceded a few goals and, luckily, we scored four or five! It wasn’t all down to me and Carl!
“But that is what you want to do as a team. You want to be on winning streaks and unbeaten streaks and that is what we have to try and do this season.”
Naturally, now as the senior partner in the centre-back area, Carter-Vickers assumes more responsibility as new partners such as Nawrocki find their feet. But he added: “I don’t really look at it like that.
"The manager and his staff bring down the instructions and it is about, first of all, trying to perform as best as I can, and then trying to help other people around me. Most of the team tries to do that, anyway. We’re a together group and if we have information we can give each other to try and help the team, that’s what we’ll do.”
Rodgers has been immediately impressed by the American international and spoke glowingly about him in the lead-up to the opener against County. On the transition from Ange Postecoglou to his current gaffer, Carter-Vickers said: “Ange was a great manager and Brendan, with the clubs he’s managed at, speaks for himself. He’s a top manager as well.
“I’ve enjoyed it so far. He’s very tactically detailed which can only help the team. He’s got a good way of working I enjoy.”
Rodgers is demanding high standards and Carter-Vickers said: “Absolutely. All managers have that. All top managers push you every day to try to be the best and keep improving.”
It’s a clean slate for the whole squad but the stopper says that’s just normal practice and added: “Going into each season that’s how you should look at it anyway, new manager or no new manager. Every player has to be at it and compete to play. That’s healthy for a club and for a team and whether it’s a new manager or not that’s the best way to have a healthy and competitive environment.”
Despite just 45 minutes against Athletic Bilbao in pre-season, Carter-Vickers looked like he’d never had three months out due to knee surgery with his strong showing against County. He said: “It’s been not too bad. Now it is just about getting into the rhythm of playing games. That’s what I want to keep doing and need to keep doing to get back to the level where I need to be.”
Levels will have to be high at Pittodrie and Carter-Vickers added: “It will be tough. Aberdeen finished last season well. It is just about focusing on our performance and we’re confident if we perform to the levels we can, we should get a result.”