I joined Celtic in 1995, and those were the years when things started to change. We were playing some great football but not winning the league, and that’s what it’s all about at a club like Celtic. So to win the league in 1998 was fantastic, and I have wonderful memories of it. It’s probably the pinnacle of my career.

Celtic is one of those clubs where it means more than just the game. It was always such a privilege to play in front of that many fans, especially at home. You represent a huge club, and it’s very rewarding when things are going well, but there’s pressure too. The players have to know that, if they’re playing for a club like Celtic, they’re there for a reason. They have to perform.

They have to be able to live with that pressure, and that season we did. We had a manager who at times protected us, but also had a feel for whether within the group there were some players who could guide the others. Who could let them know if the team needed to step up.

Even in a league-winning season, you have tough spells. We had that. Questions were asked if we were good enough. At times like that, it’s not enough for the players to be strong. The manager has to be very strong too. He has to be able to take the criticism and protect the players. Then the players have to respond and help. At that time, I think we had a good balance.

“Any coach in the world will look for players who can guide others on the pitch. Do we have them? Can we develop younger players into them?”

Right now, as the head coach at Aalborg, I know we don’t have that experience, or that kind of player.

We have lots of youngsters. At times, I need to protect them. Other times, I need to put pressure on them if they are to develop. I want to help the ones we think can become top players, to help them develop into players who can handle and play under pressure. There’s always an ongoing process of trying to gauge where both your team and your players are.

It’s so important to have not just one but several players in a team who, when the pressure is on and it’s difficult, can guide their more inexperienced teammates along. The inexperienced ones can be very important in their own right, and have real talent. But if they don’t have someone at their side who can say “Right, now we’re doing this”, it’s not good for them.