I have to admit I really like Barry Robson. I always liked him as a player at Dundee Utd, especially since he was always able to put at least two or three great goals past TFOD. He always lived up to the honest pro tag, and although this is a cliché there is no better way to describe a man who goes about his business in the manner he does, ever humble and ever realistic he is the ultimate football pragmatist.
As the curtain is about to rise up on another season my appreciation for this player has reached new heights. There are no hints of a primadona attitude, not a scent of taking his first team place for granted. In fact Barry prefers to have something to fight for as opposed to taking his place as a given.
"I don't see myself as a first choice, not in the slightest," he said. "I feel as though I'm at the bottom of the ladder again and I need to climb it. That's the way I approach every season, it doesn't matter where I am.
"I need to prove every day in training that I'm worthy of a place as there are another four or five players who are outstanding footballers that can play in there. I don't take anything for granted.
"Every time I play I've got something to prove. Even if I have a good game what does it matter? If you play the next week and are not so good then people remember that.
"I don't want to fail in anything I do and I suppose that's a good way of looking at things. I'd never won much in my career so it was important to win something. Once I got the taste of winning something it makes me want it more."
And this is not the only goal that our favourite Barry is aiming for; Robson is looking forward to trying to cement his place in the team so that he can grace the ultimate stage - Europe.
"I've played one game in the Champions League and only a couple of games in Europe with Dundee United, so I want to play more in Europe and learn more," Robson said. "Playing in Europe is totally different and that's something I've got to look forward to, but the only way I'll do that is if I force my way into the team again and make sure I play.
"Getting to the last eight of the Champions League drives us on. That's what the manager wants and that's what every single player wants. We know it will be extremely hard, we know how much money massive clubs like Manchester United have, but we've got some really good players and know that with our fans when we play at home we've got a real chance."
Yours in Celtic
Clydebuilt