How does it feel to be a trophy-winning captain?

It’s obviously an amazing feeling and something I’m super proud of. I tried to play it down before the game but the reality is it’s the first one. To get there at the first time of asking as well, I think that helps, it shows people what you’re made of also. This group of players, we were put together in the summer and probably not many people gave us a chance – but we’ve gone and won the trophy at the first time of asking. I spoke before the game, but that should give us massive belief now to go on and keep on showing we’re on the right track. If we keep working hard, keep staying humble, we keep doing what the manager wants us to do, then there’s a real platform for success for this team.”

You were the captain, you had to be the man to knit together a dressing room full of so many new players?

There were so many new guys coming into the club, different cultures, different age groups as well. Obviously, the manager coming in from the other end of the world too. He had to adapt. But I spoke about this pre-season, you don’t get time to adapt at Celtic. You have to win at Celtic. That’s been one of the main things in this group, we’ve brought in winners. You can see it, you can see it in their eyes, you can see it in the way they train every day. You see it in the way the manager speaks as well. So, it was a case of us going on and proving it. From the start of the season until now it’s been a brilliant journey – but hopefully, it’s just the start for this group.

READ MORE: In Ange Postecoglou Celtic fans trust and it's no wonder - Anthony Haggerty

The pressure of being a trophy-winning captain….what's it like now that you’ve done it?

I spoke about it in the summer with my family. It’s a great honour being captain. But then you have a huge responsibility as well. The responsibility comes around with games like this; semi-finals, finals, big games. You have to win. You’re responsible. I’m just super happy and super proud to et the first trophy in the bag. For all the football people talk about, it’s also the resilience of the team that’s being shown. You can’t just turn up and play great football. Obviously, you want to do that. But there are always going to be times within the season, certain games when you have to grind it out a little bit. And I think that showed again the mentality of the group, you go one behind in your first final as a group. But then from kick-off, we go on and score. That sums us up a little bit. That definitely helped us and I think the game needed it too. It was a little bit edgy, both teams were probably a little bit safe in the game, not wanting to lose. But then I think after the second goal goes in it’s a great spectacle for everybody. The game actually opened up and you started to enjoy the game a little bit more. I definitely think the game needed a goal and I'm just glad we came out on the right side of that.

What do you think that will do for some of the boys in there who have never tasted that, look at Kyogo’s joy?

That’s what it means to them, though. You have to have good types in your team, good characters that want to win, who will go that extra mile for their team-mate. To bring in so many new players and actually have that in their make-up. We’ve got a little bit lucky but at the same time that’s because of the environment, we’re setting at Lennoxtown, the standards we’re setting, the behaviours, the way we respect each other. And then it’s also coming down from the manager. For him to come in and win a trophy at the first time of asking is absolutely outstanding. I’m absolutely delighted for him too.

READ MORE: Ange Postecoglou's Celtic Q+A in full: Kyogo's 'one leg' passion as trophy winning boss hails 'most resilient group'

In the summer it was odds against him winning a trophy at the first time of asking?

I said it to the boys in there, nobody gave us a chance at the start of the season. And for us to get to where we were – even getting into the final – was a great moment. But, as I’ve touched upon, Celtic players have to win things and that’s what we’ve done. We managed to get it over the line and we managed to do it with a bit of style, in the end, two great goals and the way we want to play. Quick restarts, getting the ball moving, playing through the thirds, getting in and being aggressive on goal. What is the manager’s got that’s making him prove inspirational? I think obviously his football idea is top. It’s really good, the information’s super clear, his coaching methods are excellent as well and considering different cultures, too, it’s a big credit to him. I think probably being in Japan also has helped him, with different players. He makes it super easy, super clear. Then again, he’s got that desire to him you don’t want to mess him about. He’s got that stern side as well, he gives you the look and the standard in training goes right through the roof again. So, he’s got that as well, which you need in professional football. You’re dealing with men, you’re dealing with big personalities and he’s certainly got that as well.

Can this trophy be a platform?

To get the first one, it comes early in the season, so if you can pout yourself in a position to get it in the bag then it gives you the confidence – it should give the confidence – to go on and progress. But it’s still fairly early on in our development as a group, as a team. So we should take big confidence that we can come and perform on a big day and handle the pressure. So here’s hoping we can provide a real springboard for us.