Virgo hopes to kick start career

Adam Virgo hopes his call-up to the Scotland Future team will act as the catalyst for his ailing Celtic career.

The defender was one of 17 players named in Walter Smith’s squad for next week’s Future Cup game against Poland at Rugby Park – even though he has started just one game for the Hoops this season.

Gordon Strachan paid Brighton £1.5m (€2.2m) for the services of Virgo, 22, in the summer but his appearances in the top team have been limited so far and he is determined to change all that by impressing for his country.

He said: “It‘s certainly nice to know that, even though I’m not playing first-team football at the moment, people like (Scotland assistant manager) Tommy Burns still have high hopes for me.

“This call-up is just a little boost for my confidence and I can only go into the game thinking that a good performance against Poland will catch the manager’s eye and boost my chances of getting into the first team here.

“That still has to be my main aim at the moment because, although it‘s great to be involved in the international set-up at any level, playing games for my club has to be a priority.”

First-team regular Bobo Balde will be involved with the African Nations Cup in Egypt in January and Virgo knows that means a place will be up for grabs.

He hopes to make it his own.

He added: “Everyone knows that there‘s a place to play for with Bobo going away to the African Nations in January and, with Stan Varga and Du Wei vying for that with me, I know I have to take every opportunity to show the manager I‘m worthy of a chance.”

Virgo failed to earn rave reviews when he was handed his one and only start - against Dunfermline at East End Park – and was substituted after just 59 minutes but he believes he is ready for another chance at the top team.

“I‘d love to play that game again now,” he told the club‘s official website, www.celticfc.net.

“I had a job to do that day and I thought I did the best I could under the circumstances. But I certainly wasn‘t anywhere near my best.

“I hope the fans will see the real Adam Virgo sooner rather than later but I would say that, in my first full game back, it‘s a certainty that I‘ll be tired.

“It‘s totally different coming from reserve-team football to a senior game and you see in the likes of Chris Sutton how much it takes out of you being out, even for a short period of time.

“It‘s amazing what a couple of games can do for your match fitness and I‘m hopeful that, if I can get a little run, I‘ll show everyone why the club bought me in the first place.

“I‘ve certainly been working very hard with the fitness coaches here and now, mentally and physically, I‘m definitely a lot more ready to make the step up.”