“You can’t be arrogant, but you’ve got to be confident,” Viljami Sinisalo

In partnership with

The Celtic Star

·2. April 2025

“You can’t be arrogant, but you’ve got to be confident,” Viljami Sinisalo

Backup Celtic goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo insists he appreciates the guidance and encouragement from first-choice keeper Kasper Schmeichel…

UEFA Champions League 2024 2025, Celtic Glasgow vs Young Boys Bern YB Celtic Park. Kasper Schmeichel cheers Celtic’s 1- 0 victory. Photo JOERAN STEINSIEK (IMAGO)

Kasper to be out for at least five weeks

The experienced shot-stopper suffered a shoulder injury during his time with the Danish national team, though the severity is still unclear but Brendan Rodgers did confirm that Kasper will be missing for at least five weeks in his interview with Celtic TV yesterday.

OneFootball Videos

Subsequently, Sinisalo stepped into Celtic’s starting XI for only the second time against Hearts on Saturday, delivering a solid performance and keeping a clean sheet in his side’s 3-0 victory.

Celtic v Hearts, Scottish Premiership 29/03/2025. Celtic goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo during the match between Celtic and Hearts at Celtic Park, on 29 March 2025. Photo Malcolm Mackenzie/PSI

“We swapped a couple of messages,” Sinisalo

Sinisalo has served as Schmeichel’s understudy this season but enjoys the complete support of his teammate: “We swapped a couple of messages,” said Sinisalo. “He’s been really, really, really supportive. He’s someone I’ve always looked up to since I was really, really young.

“Obviously, we wish all the very best for him and a speedy recovery. But, yeah, he’s been great since day one when we both came in, and we’ve been really close. Like I said, he’s someone I’ve always looked up to a lot, and he’s been great with me.”

Celtic v Hearts, Scottish Premiership 29/03/2025. Celtic goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo during the match between Celtic and Hearts at Celtic Park, on 29 March 2025. Photo Malcolm Mackenzie/PSI

Celtic signed Sinisalo from Aston Villa last summer in a £1 million transfer. Prior to the weekend, he had made only a single appearance under the stewardship of Brendan Rodgers: “It was great to play, I was looking forward to it a lot before the game,” he said.

‘When you get an opportunity…you’ve got to take it’

“When you get an opportunity to play for this football club, you’ve got to take it with both hands and hopefully, I can do that. You’ve got to have that confidence. I’ve always been a confident man. One coach back in the day always said to me, have confidence to the point of arrogance. Never go above that. You can’t be arrogant, but you’ve got to be confident,” Sinisalo said.

11th August 2024 Easter Road, Scottish Premiership, Hibernian versus Celtic – Viljami Sinisalo of Celtic. ActionPlus Vagelis Georgariou

“Your goalkeeper needs to look confident and looks like it belongs to the place where he is. So, yes, obviously, I’ll back myself. And however many games that is, I’ve got to back myself, which I will. You’ve got to do that. As a goalkeeper, you’ve got to be ready for your moment. That’s why I’ve worked hard every day since I started my professional career and every day since I signed for this football club in the summer,” he added.

‘Things can happen so quickly’

“Every footballer wants to play and when you get that moment, that chance, you’ve got to take it and keep ticking the games away and playing well and stuff like that. So, yeah, it’s a mental game. Especially for a club like this, it’s mental. You’ve got to be switched on at every single moment in the game because things can happen so quickly.”

Celtic have the chance to move closer to securing their fourth straight Scottish Premiership title when they visit bottom of the table St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park this Sunday.

‘Make sure we get the three points at St Johnstone’

With strong backing from three stands of traveling supporters, the Finn has emphasised the importance of staying grounded and focused: “Listen, one game at a time. It’s about getting three points here, and we move our focus to the weekend,” he said.

“That’s St Johnstone, so we’ll try and tick them off one game by game and make sure we get the three points at St Johnstone on Sunday.”

Conor Spence

Help raise funds for Celtic Youth Academy by playing the Celtic Pools Weekly Lottery and you could win up to £25,000. The lottery is £1 per week. Click on image to join.