Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel says he is in no hurry to talk with the club about a new contract at Parkhead because his focus in on enjoying football and dealing with the challenges ahead.
The Danish keeper arrived in Glasgow as Joe Hart’s successor a year ago and enjoyed a successful first season with Premiership and Premier Sports Cup success, as well as a run to the knockout stage of the Champions League.
He signed a one-year contract extension in January that takes him through until next summer, with no certainty about what the future holds beyond that.
Speaking to STV ahead of his side’s Champions League play-off against Kairat Almaty, that will decide whether Celtic get another crack at the League Phase fo the elite competition, he said his own situation was far from a priority.
“No, that’s just not how how we operate right now,” he said. “There’s a massive game and all focus is on that.
“I can’t imagine that’s important to them or to me, at the moment.
“I’ve got a contract and it is what it is at the moment. We’ll take that at some point.”
Schmeichel will turn 39 this season, playing well beyond the age that most professionals reach, and just over a year away from what would be a real landmark.
He says he’s not contemplating either retirement or a definite push towards football at 40. Instead, he takes the view that he should enjoy every day doing a job he loves.
“The way I’ve looked at it, football is very, very unpredictable,” he said.
“You take nothing for granted. You know, one big injury could finish your career at any point of your life.
“So you take each and every day on its merit. Each game on its merit. And you enjoy every single one of them.”
He added: “For me, I don’t think in limitations. I don’t think ‘I need to get to there’ or ‘I need to get to here’.
“Every single day it’s ‘How can we get better? How can I get better? What can I do to to improve not just myself but the people around me? Are we giving enough?’ All those kind of things, that’s that’s how I measure it.”
After a sunny day preparing for another European night under the lights at Celtic Park, the veteran international reflected on seeing his dad Peter end a long and decorated career and said it made him appreciate just playing for as long as he can.
“I know if that passion and that love and desire one day starts to starts to wither, then that might be the time to to finish, but I can’t see that happening anytime soon.
“But you know I’m just enjoying every single minute of playing.
“I’m very lucky in the sense that I’ve had a father who’s gone through that process.
“I’ve seen it close up first hand so I haven’t gone through, but I feel like I’ve gone through it.
“So for me, I’m in an incredible position to just enjoy it and there’s a long, long, long life after football, hopefully.
“There’s a long life after football, so while you’re a footballer, I don’t think you’re ever gonna find a better job in the world.
“It’s just about enjoying it, you know. You’ve seen today, a sunny day with the pitch watered and the Champions League balls out, diving around.
“I mean it’s never gonna get better than that.”
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