Ambrose feels at home at Celtic

Published Sep. 26, 2012 3:17 p.m. ET

foxsports

Efe Ambrose praised his new Celtic team-mates for helping him adapt quickly to life at "one of the biggest clubs in the world."

The Nigeria international, signed on a three-year contract from Israeli club FC Ashdod, has only been at Parkhead for just over a week but already feels at home.

The 23-year-old sat on the bench for the Champions League home draw with Benfica last Wednesday before making a late substitute appearance in the 2-0 Clydesdale Bank Premier League win over Dundee on Saturday.

Ambrose was handed his full debut in midfield against Raith Rovers in Tuesday night's Scottish Communities League Cup third-round clash at Parkhead and put on an impressive display in the comfortable 4-1 win over the Irn-Bru First Division side, for which he thanked the rest of the Hoops squad.

"It has not been easy because I had a short time to adapt to being in the team," he said.

"There has been no time to train with the team properly.

"But the feeling I have with them is amazing because they helped me to settle down very fast and so there was no problem.

"It is like a home for me. We are like family here.

"It is one of the biggest clubs in the world and the history behind this club is great.

"Coming here to be part of that history, to be able to achieve what the club wants to achieve, that means we need trophies and go as far as we can in the Champions League.

"It is a good place to play football and make myself a better player."

Most Hoops fans believed that in signing Ambrose they were getting the centre-back which Neil Lennon admitted was a priority for the Scottish champions.

However, his composure on the ball and strong running suggested he may well be a bigger asset to Celtic in the middle of the park.

"I am comfortable playing either position," said Ambrose.

"Wherever the coach feels I can help the team I will give him my best.

"What really matters is team spirit and team work because we are as one.

"It doesn't matter who plays, it is important that we have the same objective, which is to win every game that comes our way."

Ambrose, who won an Olympic silver medal for Nigeria in 2008, admits he was impressed with Gary Hooper whose four-goal performance had Lennon claiming his striker "is good enough to play for England."

He said: "He is a helluva striker. That was the first time I played with him for 90 minutes and I saw the kind of movements he made, it was amazing.

"He is one of the best I have seen so far."