Celtic defender Efe Ambrose has said he would not bother if he loses his first team shirt on return from the Africa Cup of Nations, as he is determined to play for Nigeria at the competition in South Africa.

Ambrose knows that if the club did put the squeeze on him he would be in a tricky position. "If the club says I can't go, then I can't go. It all depends on what they say.

"I believe the manager has his own opinion. If they say I can't go, I don't have any option. But I believe they will come to the right choice for me.

I won't be worried about losing my place. If that is the challenge I have to face when I come back, I will face it. I will just have to fight my way back into the team. "That will give me more edge and more drive to play my way back in."