For nearly two decades, Kasper Schmeichel has felt an inexplicable connection to Celtic FC. Despite his illustrious career taking him to various countries and continents, he always believed that fate would eventually bring him to the Scottish giants.
Schmeichel’s fascination with Celtic can be traced back to his early days, when he watched his fellow Danish countrymen, Morten Wieghorst and Thomas Gravesen, don the Hoops. The allure of Celtic only grew stronger as he observed from afar, particularly when his former Manchester City teammate, Joe Hart, enjoyed a successful stint at the club.
Hart’s triumphant sendoff at Celtic, replete with silverware and adoration, left an indelible mark on Schmeichel. He was moved by the respect and admiration Hart received from the Celtic faithful, which only strengthened his desire to join the club.
Great pals Schmeichel, above left, and Hart now both have Celtic on their illustrious CVs
Schmeichel is delighted to join what he describes as a winning culture at Parkhead
The Danish goalkeeper is unveiled in front of the media at Celtic Park
As Schmeichel reflects on his journey, he is reminded of the parallels between his career and that of Hart. Both goalkeepers have shared a similar path, with Hart getting an early head start before Schmeichel eventually caught up.
Schmeichel’s route to success was more circuitous, with multiple loan spells before finally finding his footing with Leicester City. In contrast, Hart’s career was marked by a more direct ascent, earning him a plethora of honors and 75 England caps.
The serendipity of Schmeichel following in Hart’s footsteps at Celtic is not lost on him. Their shared history is well-documented, from their early days at Manchester City to their current status as Celtic teammates.
Schmeichel vividly recalls their early interactions, from playing against each other in the lower leagues to watching goalkeeping clips together and pushing each other to improve.
The career paths of Schmeichel and Hart seem to have been intertwined
Now, as Schmeichel settles into his new surroundings at Celtic, he is driven by a desire to win and be part of a winning culture. He believes that his experience and expertise will be invaluable in helping the team achieve success.
Under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers, Schmeichel feels that he can recapture the form that made him a standout goalkeeper during his Leicester City days.
As he looks to the future, Schmeichel is committed to giving his all for Celtic, with the hope of extending his stay beyond the initial year.
Schmeichel familiarises himself with his new surroundings at Celtic Park
The 37-year-old goalkeeper is eager to make a lasting impact at Celtic, starting with the highly anticipated Old Firm derby against Rangers next month.
Schmeichel’s hope is that his Denmark teammate, Matt O’Riley, will still be at Celtic when the big day arrives, and he is doing everything in his power to make that a reality.