There might have been a minor stooshy about some of the chants at Celtic Park this week but Auston Trusty insists his new tune is music to his ears.
The big defender didn’t know too much about the tiff last weekend over fans upsetting boss Brendan Rodgers for belting out the old Kieran Tierney ditty amid talk of the full back returning. The gaffer was left laughing though when punters responded by digging out a playlist about former heroes from through the ages in Wednesday night’s win against Dundee United.
Trusty noticed a new one though with him and fellow USA star Cameron Carter-Vickers given a new ‘American Boys’ chant. The former Sheffield United man said: “Yeah, I’ve heard the song. To be far from home and not have family around, it’s amazing. I remember I went to my first stop here in the UK at Birmingham City. In my first game, I made a slide tackle play and the fans started cheering, ‘USA, USA!’. It just made me feel at home right from the start and it just went from there for me.
“So, to be here for a short while and already have a song with myself and Cameron, it just means the world to me and it just makes you really feel at home. It totally makes a difference. It shows that you have backing and people appreciate what you do, and it’s just an amazing feeling to have that and to hear fans singing and mentioning your name.
“It’s just a really good feeling. I’ve had some messages about it from home and they’re just loving it. It’s a little bit different being in the States and you’re not here so you don’t really feel the atmosphere.
“If you don’t see Celtic Park, you’re not at Celtic Park, you just have to use your imagination. But for the ones that have been here, they know what it’s like to hear fans singing. They can already tell it’s amazing.”
Trusty has quickly settled in Scotland and is loving being back in the team in recent games after missing a spell around Christmas through illness. He said: “It’s good. There’s not much time for life outside of football, you’re so focused and so in tune with the team and the daily grind.
“You don’t have too much time for outside life but I’m trying my best. I have a pregnant fiancée so I’m trying to explore the city and get comfortable.”
Trusty is just as comfortable in the heart of a Celtic defence that has been rock solid this season. The 3-0 defeat to Rangers was a major shock but the Hoops have kept two shut-outs since in wins against St Mirren and United.
And they’ve not collected an incredible 17 clean sheets in 21 league games. Trusty had no idea – but insisted it was all part of the job. He said: “I didn’t know that stat. We’re expected to do that. I think if we don’t do that, we’re not feeling the best.
“Again, it’s a testament to the team. It starts from the front too and leads all the way to the back to Kasper Schmeichel. That’s a good stat for the team.”
Trusty knows the main stat that matters is the points total and Celtic are continuing to stack them up after the bump in the road at Ibrox. Rodgers’ men have been strong on the road but at Celtic Park they have been practically untouchable.
Aberdeen’s 2-2 draw in Glasgow was the only occasion when Celts have conceded at home this term and supporters are getting a feeling of deja vu in home games with opponents attempting to shut up shop in the hope of damage limitation as much as pinching points.
The United game was a prime example, with Jim Goodwin’s organised outfit getting bodies behind the ball and challenging the Hoops to break them down. It’s been a familiar pattern this season but Celtic have found a way – even when it is tough to find space.
Trusty said: “Yeah, you know, teams are sitting back the majority of the game. You’ve just got to keep the rhythm, keep playing our game, and the goals will come.
“Obviously you can be a little frustrated when they’re sitting back the entire game, but we’re a good team and we’re prepared for that too, so we knew the goals would come. A lot of people wouldn’t think that it takes a lot of mental capacity to stay in it the entire time, but it’s a testament to the team to stay with it and play our game.
“No game is easy. It’s all a challenge. I think if we go out there and have the mindset that it’s so easy, then that’s when things happen.”
Celtic hit the road this weekend as they head up to Dingwall to take on in-form Ross County tomorrow, who came through the festive period with three wins and a draw to climb away from danger at the bottom. It’s not the most glamorous of treks at the best of times, never mind in January, but Trusty insisted Celtic will be deadly serious.
He said: “I think we have to, and we are, approaching every game in a certain way where we have to respect the other team and go about it our way. Because if you don’t do that, that’s when you slip up. We take it game by game and treat every one like it’s a Champions League game.
“You can’t allow yourself to slip up. The coaching staff don’t let us do that either, so it comes from the top.”