Everything that Celtic winger James Forrest said to the media head of the Scottish Premiership clash against Dundee


How much are you enjoying this hectic schedule at the moment?

It is really good. It is good for the manager and the players as he can use the squad. I think in the first four weeks of the season it was a week between every game but now the games are coming thick and fast. When you are at a big club like Celtic you are involved in every competition and all the boys are looking forward to it.

How are you feeling after your start on Sunday against Motherwell?

I feel really good, I've been really enjoying my football and I had a good pre-season. I have enjoyed helping the team whenever I have been involved. It was good to start the game on Sunday as it is a hard place to go but we managed to get all three points. It is going to be a tough week and a tough schedule right now but it is good that we have such a big squad.

There were a few injuries on Sunday but other players came in. How good is it to see that you have other players in the squad who can step up?

It's really good. It shows the confidence we have in the squad that we can make two or three changes and have different personnel for different games. Over the next couple of months that is definitely going to help us.

There is competition for places, especially on the wings, what has that done for your game? Has that made you a better player and does that competition make you thrive?

Yes, I have been at Celtic for years now and that has always been the case. Every manager that comes in, especially with regard to the forward positions thinks that it is good to have more options and freshen it up at times. It keeps everyone on their toes when you have five or six players in the position. You know when you get the chance you need to perform to help the team. So far this season all the boys have been doing that.

You have played in a lot of Celtic squads. Where does this one rank in the time that you have played here?

It is hard to compare teams. I have been involved in a good few now. I think the confidence and the belief in this squad is really good. I think you could see that towards the end of last season and this season we have kicked on as well. I think it is a really strong group and core. It is a strong team that we have got and you can see that in our Champions League performances as well as the league displays.

Speaking of the Champions League. How have you found the new format and are you enjoying it so far?

At the start of the season, I don't think many of the boys knew too much about it. I believe it has freshened it up a bit. It is great that you play eight different teams. I am enjoying it so far. We have had a couple of good results so that helps as well.

If you win two more medals you will become Celtic's most decorated player and you will take over Bobby Lennox's medal haul. What does it feel like to hear that being said about yourself?

I have said before in the last couple of years when you get stats and reach milestones and people tell you after you have achieved it you feel really good. It just shows that you have been working hard over the years and you have stuff there to show for it. We are still only in October, it's hard to think about anything like that. I just want to keep going game by game at the moment and helping the team as much as I can. Hopefully, if we perform as a team then the accolades will come.

You mentioned five or six players are vying for your position. Do you now pass on the benefit of your wisdom and experience to the younger guys coming through? Have you been doing more of that in the last couple of years?

Our changing room is good for new signings. The Scottish boys and foreign boys coming in it is a good dressing room to learn from. Even though I am older, if we bring in a new winger from anywhere you can learn different parts of their game and add it to your game as well. That's the big thing with our team as somebody can be in the same position as you but play a different way and it is good that you can learn from different players.

Are you open to learning even as a senior pro?

Definitely. Five or six years ago every winger we signed you just took stock of them. Even the young boys that come up to training and stuff it is great for them to see different players playing in their position. It is amazing and good for learning.

Do you have a bond with the wide players like a wingers union just like the goalkeepers? Do you talk about the games?

Forward players are kind of like that. The goalkeepers are always a bit separate. The outfield players are all a bit similar.