ERLEND HANSTVEIT has arrived for a week's trial at Celtic with a glowing reference - from a pilot with the Norwegian Coastguard.

But Harald Brattbakk is better known to Parkhead fans as the man who scored the goal to stop Rangers winning 10-in-a-row.

And the former strike ace - now flying ace - believes Brann Bergen's 6ft 2in left-back would be a perfect fit in Gordon Strachan's side.

Brattbakk knows all about Hanstveit's qualities having played against the man now available on a Bosman for several years while scoring goals for Norwegian Champions League regulars Rosenborg.

And though he jokes: "Erlend has only ever seen the back of me," Brattbakk is in no doubt the 27-year-old could step up to life in the SPL and go on to become an even better player.

The former strike partner of Henrik Larsson at the end of the 90s said: "What you see with Erlend is what you get. There's no fuss with him.

"He's a really good defender. I played against him a lot, and what always struck me is that he is very much a team player, which is why Bergen made him captain, a role he has filled well.

"He's been with Bergen for 10 years, and has played at a consistently high level for them during that time, a quality which is so often ignored.

"If you can get 100% from a player a couple of times a season it is considered good. But, if you can get at least 90% all of the time, it's even better."

Brattbakk has watched -often at very close quarters - Hanstveit develop from a raw kid to a mainstay of his side. The improvement which has come with experience has impressed the former Celt who believes he is now ready to test himself in another arena.

He said: "When I first played against him, he was still quite young. But he has got better year on year, and I'm sure he would develop even more if he joined Celtic and got the chance to compete in European competition on a regular basis.

"I watched Celtic lose to Aalborg last week, and that was not good. They need players who can play consistently, and I would be happy to see Erlend in the Hoops.

"He is not the fastest full-back you will find, but he has got decent pace and his endurance is good.

"Erlend will always last 90 minutes and you can always count on him to be going as strong at the end of a game as he is at the beginning.

"At the level Celtic play, you expect a full-back to be able to defend, and he can. But you also expect him to attack when it is required, and Erlend can do that, too."

Brattbakk knows from his own experience that making the leap across the North Sea can challenge even the best Norwegian export.

The main difference between the respective leagues is the speed of the game. No slouch out of the blocks, Brattbakk admits even he needed time to adjust, and he believes it would be a very similar story for Hanstveit.

"The tempo of the game Celtic play is always higher than the football played in Norway," explained Brattbakk.

The fact Hanstveit has been plying his trade in the Norwegian league throughout his career - with over 270 appearances for Bergen - has set alarm bells ringing for some people suspicious as to why he has never moved to a bigger stage.

Wolves did try to entice him to the Championship at the start of this year, but Hanstveit decided to see out the final year of his contract.

Brattbakk is firmly of the opinion his decision to buck the trend and remain a one-club man for so long is something which should be admired, not questioned.

He said: "Erlend's been at Bergen since he was a kid, but that's a quality in my book. Staying at one club for so long shows a real commitment.

"You get players who swap clubs every second year. But Erlend's decision not to do this says a lot about his mentality."

Hanstveit would have had a better chance of adding to his five caps if he had moved to a bigger club. But, as Brattbakk points out, no matter whose colours the defender wore, there would still have been a major obstacle standing between him and a regular place in the Norwegian side.

"John Arne Riise has been in control of the left-back position in our national team for some time, and this has helped push Erlend from the team," said Brattbakk.

Joining a high-profile club such as Celtic could make it more of a contest for the Norwegian No.3 shirt.

And Brattbakk is confident Hanstveit would rise to the Riise challenge. He said: "There's definitely still room for improvement in Erlend if he joins a club like Celtic.

"It used to be that players were considered to have reached their peak by the time they were 27. But that's not applicable these days.

"Players look after themselves much better, and, as a result, can extend their careers much longer.

"Erlend can still reach another peak."

A fact which will have been noted by clubs in the market for a quality full-back - especially one who is available on a Bosman.