ADAM MATTHEWS is aware of speculation linking him with a return to Cardiff City but insists he has no plans to leave Celtic in the foreseeable future.
The Welshman has been with the Scottish champions since the summer of 2011 and believes he is now playing some of his best football for the club after recovering from the hamstring and shoulder injuries that blighted previous seasons. With Mikael Lustig unavailable as a result of a knock sustained on international duty in November, Matthews has become the established first choice at right-back and he intends to make the most of that opportunity.
"It's been a difficult 18 months, but I feel fit and it's the best I've felt since I picked up that hamstring injury against Juventus [last March]," he said ahead of today's trip to Hamilton Academical. "I want to get a good second half of the season. The last few games before the [winter] break I was getting back to where I want to be and now I hope to kick on and help the team.
"Every footballer knows you're going to get injured and will take a bit of time to get back in. It was unfortunate that when I came back from my hamstring I did my shoulder and was out for another four months. I had two quite big injuries that took me out the game for six months. That's a long time to be out and it's taken me a while to get back. But I feel that I'm getting to where I was before and hopefully I can keep progressing."
Matthews has no desire to move back to his former club during the window. "I see my future here. I've enjoyed it since I first walked in the door and everyone's made me feel welcome. I'm very happy, I love the city and the fans have been brilliant with me. We've got three or four good right-backs at the club and that helps push you to try to be better. I've heard nothing from my agent about clubs interested in me, it's just talk. I'm 100% focussed on Celtic. I've seen the stuff about Cardiff and I think nothing of it."
Celtic lost to Hamilton the last time the sides met in October and Michael McGovern, the Accies goalkeeper, hopes lighting can strike twice for his side at New Douglas Park this afternoon when Martin Canning will again take temporary charge of the home team.
"There is every chance," said the Northern Irishman. "We have got good players but obviously with Celtic having such a strong squad it is going to be very difficult.
"But if we perform to our maximum I am sure we will give them a game and with a bit of luck we can definitely get the result. I remember the goal going in at Parkhead and remember they had a lot of chances to be fair, and the celebrations afterwards were good.
"There is no doubt we can do it again but, as I said, it is going to be very difficult."
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