It has been a long road back to first-team action for Cameron Carter-Vickers, who missed the majority of last season as he recovered from an achilles injury which kept him sidelined from late October.

The America internationalist, who has made over 170 appearances for Celtic since joining the Hoops in 2021, was forced to watch on from the stands as Martin O’Neill’s men secured one of the most dramatic league titles in the club’s history and wrap up an iconic Double to round off a rollercoaster of a campaign.

Now, with Carter-Vickers’ recovery complete, the 28-year-old is back in training as the Bhoys’ preparations for the season ahead step up a gear in Dublin ahead of a warm-weather training camp in Portugal.

CelticPlayer caught up with Cameron Carter-Vickers at the Hoops’ training base in Dublin yesterday afternoon (Monday, July 6), as the defender reflected on his road to recovery.

“I’m good, and I’m just happy to be back with the team and out here on pre-season.” Carter-Vickers said. “Being out was frustrating, especially a season like last season where it was a battle for us.

"At first, I thought I had cramp in my calf. When the physios saw it, they said it was a rupture in the achilles. At that point you know it’s going to be a long-term injury.

“For me, it was just about understanding that’s the situation you’re in and working towards getting back in the best shape possible.

‘It was all about not getting too ahead of yourself. You’re chasing the small gains and being happy with them.’

“With this injury, I was in a cast for three weeks and then a boot for eight. You can’t really move your foot in any direction at first.

“So when I did get a bit of movement back, I took that as a win and I was positive about it. After that you’re chasing the next thing and the next thing.”

Watch Cameron Carter-Vickers’ full interview exclusively on CelticPlayer

Cameron Carter-Vickers: CelticPlayer exclusive interview