New Celtic signings have to go undercover in a bid to keep their identity a secret, a squad player has revealed.
Benjamin Siegrist has told all in a no-holds barred interview back in his homeland of Switzerland in which he has also revealed players go into hiding if the team loses. The goalkeeper – who also confirmed he’ll be off this summer – has lifted the lid on his love for Glasgow and the fierce footballing rivalry that prompts new players being booked into hotels under false names and existing squad members being banished from the streets.
Siegrist joined Celtic two years ago from Dundee United but is looking for pastures new. However, he doesn’t bear a grudge towards the Scottish champions and has instead talked up the city he insists is a hotbed of football. The 32-year-old, speaking to Blick, said: “This is a real football country! Many people live for that weekend moment in the stadium. And if their team wins, they feel good all week.
“More than in England. Of course there is the North London Derby or the Merseyside Derby. But the rivalry is never as strong as here. Especially because of the religious background. New Celtic players are booked into hotels under false names. And after defeats, Celtic players should not be seen on the streets for a while if they don’t want to expose themselves to the risk of being harassed.”
Siegrist was left stunned by Scotland’s hammering at the hands of Germany last week, even though he admits some of the football played domestically in his homeland leaves a lot to be desired. He added: “Somehow, a victory for Germany was to be expected. But I had hoped that Scotland would be more persistent and that it would be closer. That was a big disappointment! They never got off the
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Benjamin Siegrist