Everything Anthony Ralston had to say in his pre-match press conference ahead of Celtic taking on Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership...
Was it like to get the new contract signed and sealed?
It was great. I am delighted, and as I said previously, it is a proud moment for me and my family. It is good to get it done and it is now about putting the hard work in and helping the team progress and be successful.
Was it good to get out of the way?
It is not just about me. I have brilliant people behind me and my family that I have mentioned in previous interviews and my main motivation is my wee girl. I have my own family now and have my own responsibilities in life. The contract is a symbol of the work I am putting in for her and the other people I am putting the work in for in terms of my family and friends and everyone else who has helped me since the beginning.
Is your wee girl old enough to go to games and understand what it means?
She is getting there. She is definitely getting to grips with what her dad does. She is only three-and-a-half so trying to explain it to her sometimes is hard. She is interested but at other times she is not. When she is older, she will be able to look back on all the memories I have tried to create for her earlier in her life and realise how special they were.
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What has it been like to be reunited with Brendan Rodgers?
It has been great. He is a great manager and we are lucky to be working under him. It is just about trying to take on board every day what he is telling us to do and hopefully the boys will continue to play well and look to learn every day and progress as players which game by game we are all looking to do as a collective.
Is it important to show how much you have improved since he gave you your debut?
I was lucky to play under him as a kid and get opportunities the first time around which I am grateful for which was a learning curve. I have been able to take moments and look at them differently now as my career has progressed as a player and a person. It is about putting that into my play now and taking opportunities in games.
What do you need to do to take your game to the next level?
I just need to keep working, learning and listening to what I am being told to do. I have a great coaching staff who I work under and I just try to learn every day. I always try to put hard work in and it is my job at the end of the day to perform when the chance comes around, so I always try to make sure I am at the level to do so in terms of staying in shape.
Do you always have to prove yourself more when you are coming through the ranks?
Yeah, it depends how it is perceived on the outside. You are always having to prove things anyway whether you come through the ranks or are a new signing. You become part of a collective and squad and that is the unit that brings you success. It does not really matter when you all come together.
Does it help you on the park when you need to take more responsibility off it?
Yeah, I am okay as we still have plenty of more experienced boys than me here like Callum [McGregor] Joe [Hart] and James [Forrest], those boys take the lead on that and I am very much still taking information from them as well as helping the younger lads but I have had great role models to fulfil that when that time comes.
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