Cameron Carter Vickers is best Celtic defender since Bobo and NO ONE in the league is better

Jackie McNamara played alongside some pretty big beasts at the back for Celtic but he reckons wounded warrior Cameron Carter-Vickers is a match for most of them.

Record Sport revealed the Hoops hero is playing through the pain barrier with a long-standing sore knee and he could be forced to go under the knife before the season is up. Carter-Vickers will suck it up to get through the Scottish Cup semi-final showdown with Rangers next weekend but it remains to be seen if he’ll need to call time on his campaign with a few weeks to spare.

Parkhead legend McNamara isn’t surprised the centre half has been toughing it out this term. He can see the big fella is made from the game kind of steel he saw when he was at the club. McNamara played in the middle of defence himself at times but his time was a golden era for centre halves in Glasgow’s East End.

Mark Reiper, Alan Stubbs, Johan Mjallby, Joos Valgaeren, Stan Varga, Ramon Vega, there is a pretty extensive list – with Bobo Balde perhaps at the top. It was the land of the giants at Parkhead in size, stature and mentality but McNamara is convinced Celtic’s current rock at the back could look any of them in the eye.

He said: “Carter-Vickers is strong and has a lot of attributes. He’s been a terrific signing. Yeah, he’s up there with some of the best – although he’s not quite the same kind of player as Bobo!

"I played with some cracking centre-backs over the years – Johan Mjallby, Mark Rieper, and so on. Carter-Vickers has definitely been one who has been an excellent signing. He’s very steady and consistent.

“He can definitely play, as well. And with the way Ange Postecoglou sets his team up, he wants everybody to be able to play, including the goalie. He’s been a great