Anthony Ralston was delighted to add another winner’s medal to his collection last weekend, with the defender helping the Hoops lift the League Cup after a penalty shoot-out victory over Rangers. He celebrated the spot-kick success both as a player and as a supporter, but it’s his attitude as a Celtic player which was to the fore as he looked ahead to this Sunday’s Premiership clash with Dundee United at Tannadice. Ralston knows that the ongoing success that the club is enjoying is built on a clear mindset of always looking forward, and only ever focusing on the next game. So while he and his team-mates were able to enjoy their Hampden success for a couple of days, as soon as they reported back for training at Lennoxtown, the preparations began for this weekend’s match and the need to collect three more valuable league points. Speaking ahead of the game, the defender said: “It’s important that when you do win trophies, which this club is built on, that you do take the time to soak it in and be with friends and family, be with your team-mates and staff and really enjoy it, but it doesn’t last long because you’ve always go the next game which is the most important one. “It’s what you want to do in your career, from a personal and a team point of view, which is win cup finals. ‘So the place has a good feeling around it and we’re in a good place, but that’s in the past now and we’re fully focused on the weekend.’ And the 26-year-old Scottish internationalist also admitted that he’s paid no attention to some of the post-match noise around decisions made in the course of the League Cup final. “There was an on-field decision made at the time which isn’t down to us to make as players,” he said. “There wasn’t much said about it until after the game when ultimately we had won. It’s part and parcel of football and I don’t take much to do with it – let the officials do that side of it. “The important thing for us is that we had a job to do, which was win the trophy, which we’re all delighted that we’ve managed to do.”Celtic head to Tannadice on Sunday to take on a Dundee United side who’ve enjoyed a good first half of the campaign on their return to the Premiership. Jim Goodwin’s side currently sit fifth in the table and were on a five-game unbeaten run ahead of last weekend’s 4-3 defeat against Motherwell at Fir Park. Ralston spent a few months on loan with the club back in 2018, and he remembers the experience with great fondness. However, any sentiment will be set to one side for the 90 minutes of action on the pitch. “I’ve a lot of brilliant things to say about Dundee United from my time there,” he admitted. “They were amazing with my family – they would travel up every weekend and they would always look after them and they’re such nice people around the club. ‘My time there developed me as a person and as a player, and I’m looking forward to the game.’ “I think that’s the importance of being at a club like this – it’s not about dwelling on your success because you’ve got no time to do that and the next challenge is around the corner and that’s the most important one. “So it’s important we show the attitude and mindset that we’re very much committed to the next game, which is Dundee United, and the past success is very much behind us now and we’re fully focused on that.”Upcoming FixturesDundee United Vs. Celtic – Thu, Dec 12th 2024, 15:00
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