Auston Trusty: Celtic not a team that fold under adversity

Celtic defender Auston Trusty feels the squad have shown their true character after they continued their recent recovery with an impressive point against Bologna in Italy.

Celtic gave themselves a strong platform to progress in the Europa League when they host Utrecht next Thursday after drawing 2-2 despite losing Reo Hatate to a first-half red card.

Trusty put Celtic two up after Hatate’s early goal and produced a string of penalty box blocks and interceptions as Martin O’Neill’s side held on for a point.

After losing six games in a month under Wilfried Nancy, Trusty feels lesser teams would have folded.

“Obviously going down to 10 men with the majority of the game to go, it’s not ideal, but you have to bunker down and weather the storm and we did for the majority of the game,” the United States international said.

“We had an interesting part of the season where it didn’t necessarily go our way but that shows the true characteristics of the team to bounce back from that and we’re playing, not just for ourselves, we’re playing for a bigger thing, which is the club and the organisation.

“To go through that spell that didn’t necessarily go your way, a lot of teams can fold and can cave and call it quits.

“But that’s not us, that’s not the mentality that we have, that’s not the mentality that we’re allowed to have.

“This organisation is a winning organisation that wants to win and wants to have really good performances. Yes, it’s the players but it’s also a built into the culture.”

Celtic face William Hill Premiership leaders Hearts on Sunday before their European decider.

Trusty said: “We focus on just continuing the path that we were on. Obviously we had a bad spell in the middle of the season, but now we’re in a good run, good momentum, good mindset, so we just play the Celtic way.”

Meanwhile, new signing Tomas Cvancara vowed he could handle the pressure of playing for Celtic as he set his sights on a successful loan spell in Glasgow.

The Borussia Monchengladbach striker has joined for the rest of the season with Celtic securing an option to buy the 25-year-old at the end of the campaign.

O’Neill has played down the expected impact of the Czech Republic international in a bid to ease the pressure on his new arrival but the player himself expects to thrive under the responsibility.

“Of course it’s pressure but I think for me it’s no problem,” he told Celtic TV. “I know why I joined the club. I know what the target is for this club. Also I know what the target is for me. I will do everything to achieve these together.

“I’m very excited. I’m very happy that I can join this massive club with this massive fanbase. I can’t wait to play in front of them.”