How Virgil van Dijk is inspiring Stephen Welsh as he bids to establish himself in the Celtic first team

Their inability to keep clean sheets has been a major factor in the Parkhead club’s disappointing domestic performances and woeful European showings in the past six months. 

Yet, Stephen Welsh, the centre half who has fared considerably better than many of his more experienced and handsomely renumerated team mates in his appearances for Neil Lennon’s side this term, it still aware of the level he must aspire to.

The 21-year-old was a Celtic fan before he was a Celtic player and revealed this week that his hero growing up had been Virgil van Dijk. He knows just how well he must perform when he is given the nod by his manager if he is to establish himself as a first team regular and further his career.  

Asked who his inspiration had been as a boy, Welsh said: “Van Dijk was the main one. When he was at Celtic I was a season ticket holder so I watched him every week.

“You could tell from the early stages how good he was going to be. He was unbelievable at Parkhead. He basically strolled every game. You could see the world-class player coming out.”

It has been little surprise to the Coatbridge-born player that the Dutchman has developed into one of the finest footballers on the planet since moving to Liverpool for a record £75m transfer fee three years ago.

“He is 100 per cent the best defender in the world,” he said. “I don’t think there is any question about that. He has been unbelievable in the last couple of seasons at Liverpool. It has been amazing to watch him at Celtic as a kid and see the player he has turned out to be.”

Welsh himself has shown enormous potential since making only his second first team appearance in a Premiership match against Rangers at Parkhead back in October. He was unable to prevent his side from slumping to a 2-0 defeat that day. But he was far from the worst performer in a side that was missing a raft of regulars. 

Can the former Scotland Under-21 internationalist go on to enjoy the success in the game that his idol has? It is asking a huge amount of the youngster. But he certainly feels he is receiving the best possible advice and encouragement from another former Celtic centre half.

He didn’t see assistant manager John Kennedy in action personally – the former Scotland internationalist was forced to retire due to injury aged just 26 in 2009 – but he has benefitted greatly from his presence in Lennon’s backroom team.  

“I was a bit younger when Kendo was breaking through,” said Welsh. “But I have seen clips of him play. I think the big highlight was the game at the Camp Nou against Barcleona (in a UEFA Cup last 16 tie in 2004).

“He has been a really big part of my breaking into the reserves and first team. He has been a big help to me since I started training a few years ago. He went through a similar path to get into the first team and has helped me a lot.

“It doesn’t need to be big things because you have to go out on the park and play yourself. But if you are making mistakes here and there he gives you wee tips before and after games to make me better.”

The lad who spent last season on loan at Championship outfit Morton has also appreciated the encouragement he has received from his much-maligned team mates too.

“They have been a massive help,” he said. “When you are a young player going in you need the support of those around you. They have helped me a lot with communication and with their leadership.

“When you have got Scott Brown in front of you and Kris Ajer to the left, as I did at Kilmarnock (in the 4-0 win at Rugby Park on Tuesday night), guys who have played a lot of football, it can only help you.”

Welsh was selected ahead of Shane Duffy, the Republic of Ireland internationalist who was at fault for one of the goals that Celtic conceded in their 2-1 defeat to St Mirren last weekend, in Ayrshire and helped the quadruple treble winners keep their first clean sheet on the road since Boxing Day.

He is hopeful that his personal contribution to a much-needed victory will help him to remain involved during the remaining weeks of the 2020/21 season.

“For a player of my age that is what it is all about - putting in good performances and trying to put a run of games together,” he said. “If selected I will just need to got out and put in my best performance and that is what I will be trying to do.

“But I think the overall structure of the team was a lot better. The clean sheet speaks for itself. As a defender that is the important thing as a defender. Maybe set pieces and crosses we need to work on still, but we are getting there.”

Welsh, too, accepts there are aspects of his own play that he needs to improve if he is to become an automatic selection. “You need to stamp your authority on the pitch,” he said.  “That is probably one of things I probably need to work at a bit more. Especially coming up to the first team.

“In the position that I play in especially, you need that quality. If you are a centre half or a central midfielder you need to be a leader.”

Having an unsettled defence due to a combination of injury, poor form and positive coronavirus tests results hasn’t helped Celtic’s cause this season. Goalkeeper in particular has been a problem position. Scott Bain, Vasilis Barkas and Conor Hazard have all had runs in the first team. But none of them has been to hold the spot down.

Welsh, though, stressed the defenders have belief in every one of them. “It (consistency of selection) does help,” he said. “But the three goalies that we have got are top class. Whichever one plays we know we have a top goalie behind us. They are all good with their feet and are top shot stoppers. So the confidence is there with all three.”

Neil Lennon will certainly have faith in Stephen Welsh if he needs to call on him in the remainder of the season.