THE new football season in Scotland has, it is fair to say, started unsteadily for both Efe Ambrose personally and Celtic as a whole.

The Scottish champions have been erratic in their performances domestically, where they have fallen behind Aberdeen in the Ladbrokes Premiership, and in Europe, where they have repeatedly surrendered leads.

That inconsistency has been mirrored by Ambrose, the enigmatic Nigerian internationalist, whose performance against Fenerbahce at the start of this month was his career in microcosm.

The 26-year-old performed impressively and reliably against Turkish opponents who fielded Raul Meireles, Nani and Robin van Persie in their starting line-up.

Then, true to form, he gifted the visitors a goal with a badly misjudged header to his keeper Craig Gordon shortly before half-time.

Yet, Ambrose believes key players departing and new recruits arriving has made it hard for Ronny Deila's team to settle in the early stages of this term.

He has seen signs that Celtic are steadily improving in training and in matches recent weeks and is confident they can enjoy a successful season both at home and abroad.

“I think the gaffer and everybody will work together as a team and help the team move forward,” he said.

“It is not just me, it is the team that is the most important thing. We have to be a unit, be a block, and once we are like I think we will be unstoppable.

“Right now we haven’t got to the level we can get to. We have had some new players in, but, once the team is in its stride, I think no-one can stop us.

"The way we play – keeping possession, pressing high, trying to put teams under pressure – we have been playing good for a long time but we have to work on some set pieces that our manager has put our attention on.

“Of course, if you are not mentally strong then I don’t think you can play here. Any time the results are not good then the fans are not happy.

"But the important thing for us is what comes next and that is to make sure that we improve – not just me but the whole team."

Ambrose and his team mates travel to Fir Park today for a Ladbrokes Premiership match against a Motherwell side which will have been given a huge lift by the appointment of Mark McGhee as their manager earlier this week.

After the league game this afternoon they travel to Norway for a crucial Europa League match against surprise section leaders Molde on Thursday evening.

The 26-year-old is confident Deila's side can recover from their patchy start and fare well in all of the competitions they are involved in this season.

“We want to give the fans what they deserve – to win and to try and keep a clean sheet and to entertain them and make them happy," he said.

"Even when we were struggling they never stopped supporting us. Even though they have criticised us they have still stood by us in difficult times.

“We are still in four competitions so we will try to do something new – we can win the Treble or to reach the later stages of the Europa League.

“There is a lot of talent in this squad and, if everyone is playing to their best, then I don’t know how the gaffer can pick his team. It will give him a good headache. We are all fighting for places and that will help the team a lot.”

Ambrose, who has been known to celebrate his goals for Celtic in an acrobatic fashion, feels there is much more to come from him personally in the weeks and months to come.

“I owe this team and I know that, a couple of games ahead, there is a way I can pay them back for all of this,” he said. “There is a way I can help them and that is a positive thing I am looking forward to. You can never know when Efe Ambrose is going to do his somersault!

“When there is a game when Celtic really need a goal….you never know. Of course there will be a big moment. I can never promise how many somersault moments there will be but I want to give something back and I know that that game is coming soon.”

Ambrose has insisted he has improved dramatically as a player since Deila has taken charge of Celtic and vowed to repay his manager and his team mates for their support in the wake of his slip up against Fenerbahce.

The defender, whose time in Glasgow has been blighted by similar catastrophic errors in high-profile matches, was savaged on internet message boards and radio phone-ins after his costly mishap.

Significantly, though, Deila defended his player. That fact did not escape the much-maligned individual who is confident he can, as a consequence of the Norwegian’s coaching, eradicate the mistakes from his game in the future.

“I am very happy the way the gaffer and other players stood up for me and did not criticise,” he said. “Everybody will make mistakes. We try to stop it and look at ways to avoid it.

“Last season the gaffer told me that I was trying to take too many risks in my games. They have tried to make me a different player. I don’t do that any more, I try to play simple and to just defend. I think I am getting better and I work hard every day to make sure I do."

Ambrose was linked with a move back to Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel, the club he signed for Celtic from three years ago, during the summer, but he stressed he has never entertained the prospect of leaving Scotland as a consequence of the abuse he has suffered.

“I always had belief in myself,” he said. “The best way to fight criticism is to deal with it and stay strong. You don’t run away from it you face it. I have a manager who really believes in my ability. In spite of everything that has happened, he has stood by me. So what else can I do but give everything to this team?”