ERIK SVIATCHENKO has admitted Celtic's defending had to get better if they wanted to keep on winning trophies.

The centre-half, who has made a good start to his Parkhead career, insisted this latest back four has gelled quicker than could have been expected.

And that three consecutive clean sheets is proof that most - but not all - of the problems in defence are over.

Sviatchenko, 24, insisted he would "do his best" to make certain Celtic no longer are a team which leaks goals because every good side's success begins at the back.

He said: "It is important that we are at a high level for corner kicks, free-kicks, defensively, but it is always when you bring new players together, it takes time to build up relations with the winger, left-back, centre-forward.

“That happens slowly, but sometimes you can pull things together quickly by communication, so we have to help one another.

"I believe we are getting better, the opponents are not creating as many opportunities any more during the last three games; that’s a positive thing.

“It is a process and everyone wants to be better in every aspect of the game.

"Some people say if you want to win trophies it’s the defence which wins the trophies. Obviously everything comes from a compact defence. It takes time.

"I am new in the squad and everyone has to cope with me and I have to cope with the boys. But so far I am seeing progress."

Sviatchenko would relish being a leader in defence and, so far, the Dane has shown that he is up to the job.

He said: "I have to do it. That’s my role. I am playing in the centre of the pitch and if I don’t say anything we will be in trouble. I am not only helping myself, but also my teammates.

"When we are playing I am doing it, not for me, but for the team. We all have to take responsibility. For yourself first and foremost and then for others.

"But we have to help each other and communicate otherwise we will not know what’s on either side of us."

Sviatchenko and his team-mates need to be better in the summer or once again Celtic's Champions League campaign will end in the qualifiers.

He knows this and insisted preparation for Europe must start now.

Sviatchenko said: "We have to dream about things and talk about them before we can get them. Otherwise it will just be something lose you cannot feel.

"Sometimes it’s very important to say we want this and make demands, otherwise it won’t get better.

"At this stage in the season when it really tightens up we are making demands of each other.

"People are tightening up and telling each other ‘it’s not tomorrow, it’s now.’ We have to win every game we can.’

"We have to be positive. The fact something happened in the Champions League in the past does not mean it will happen again.

"We are doing our best to improve and sometimes you see a curve that is going up, up, up.

"But the most important thing is, when it drops, not to let it slide too far down.

"Most important for us now is to keep a high level, train well, talk to each other and analyse what we do in games.

‘Of course we will be ready for Europe and do our best when it comes but there is no point worrying about what happens in the future.

"We have to be in the present and do our best here and now."

Celtic's Scottish Cup quarter-final tie at home to Morton will now take place on Sunday, March 6 (KO: 12noon)