Jota reveals the Celtic love in from within as Hoops pals drink from fountain of wisdom and learn lessons

The 33-year-old could land his 27th prize in green and white if Brendan Rodgers' men complete yet another Treble

He won’t do his team-mate dirty by placing James Forrest in the Parkhead veteran bracket.

But Celtic ace Jota reckons his Hoops team-mate is well worth a listen to having watched the winger spend a decade and more cleaning up in Scotland.

The Scotland ace will turn 34 this summer once he brings the curtain down on a remarkable 16th campaign as a Hoops first-team star.

By the time he blows the candles out on his cake, Forest will also have unwrapped a 13th league title to nudge clear of Bobby Lennox at the top of the club’s list of major medal winners.

Should Brendan Rodgers' side complete yet another Treble with victory in next month’s Scottish Cup Final, he’ll have a 27th prize to sling onto the heaving pile as he is crowned the most decorated servant ever to pull on a green and white jersey.

And yet for all Forrest’s longevity, there’s no sign of the grey hairs that have swept across the head of skipper Callum McGregor nor even a hint of a wrinkle.

No wonder Jota isn’t having the suggestion his pal is reaching the twilight of his career.

But he was happy to accept that for the players haven’t spent quite so long at the top, Forrest has become the sage old head in the dressing room and a fountain of knowledge.

Put simply, few others know better than this one-club man what it takes to succeed with Celts year after year.

Grinning, the Portuguese ace said: “Come on, he's not that old — 33 is the new 22! Don't do him like that!

“But yeah, credit to him, James has had an unbelievable career and we're just all grateful to him on the pitch and on the team.

“The number of medals he has speaks for itself.

“There's not one single person in the locker room that doesn't love James, as a person and a football player, so we just try to drink from his wisdom and to learn from him and just be a part of his journey.

“I think there's a lot of good personalities in the club and everyone tries to transmit to us what the values of Celtic are.

“And yeah, James was no different from that, you can learn a lot from him and I'm just grateful that I'm doing this with him.”

With his famous blonde mop, Jota hardly portrays the image of a grizzled old-timer himself.

But at 26, he’s certainly lived a life of varying experiences already.

Laterally, those have been ones of frustration after moves to Saudi Arabia and France failed to provide the game time he was seeking.

That’s why he chose to return to Celtic in January as he sought out the sanctuary of a club that previously provided him with the best moments of his career.

It’s those experiences he will look to pass on should any of his new team-mates come seeking advice.

He said “Being here for the first time and having lived what I lived, it was really good, and I think the core group was still here when I came back.

“I still try to learn from them but whoever comes new, I just try to help them and just perform with them, because in the end, it's about all being together and giving the best for Celtic.”

Celtic were undoubtedly at their devastating best on Sunday, as a 10-minute blitz just before half-time blew St Johnstone away at Hampden.

Jota was introduced midway through the second half and didn’t hang about getting involved himself, netting just three minutes after replacing Adam Idah as he completed the 5-0 win which tees up next month’s final showdown with Aberdeen.

“It was a good performance from the team and when I got my opportunity, I was there in the right spot,” he said.

"Credit to Alistair Johnston because he did an unbelievable job finding me with the cross. I always try to enjoy the moment and to be helpful for the team.”

The Celtic faithful were licking their lips at the prospect of seeing Jota added to a frontline already boasting 51-goal duo Daizen Maeda and Nicolas Kuhn.

Only eight of his 15 appearances so far have come from the start, however.

But Jota insisted: “There’s no point to prove here. I’m just enjoying the game, being happy on the pitch.

“Every day is a new opportunity to be better and to be happier, so that's what I'm doing.

“I'm really enjoying working under the manager, I think he brings a good philosophy to the team.

“I think the structure of Celtic is very well made, so then it's just a matter of details and I think he has done a very good job on putting the team together, developing his ideas and we are having a good time. I'm feeling very good.

“I think I needed time to develop my physical ability because it was a long time without playing, but now I'm feeling very good and ready to go stronger.”

Asked if it would be next season before the Celtic faithful see him hit their heights he managed first time round under Ange Postecoglou, Jota replied: “Well, that's a matter of perspective, what's the higher level?

“I always think that you should always give the best and whatever needs to happen will happen naturally, so there's no pressure on that. There's the responsibility of being better every day, and that's where my aim is.”