PRE – MATCH COMMENT: A trip to Easter Road against a revitalised Hibs means that the 3pts are going to be hard won but won they must be!
BORUC....................9 MOM At last a clean sheet. It’s been obvious from the start of the season that Artur was back to his best and to-day just proved that opinion. Not only has he been encouraged to start attacks with quick throw outs but he produced a display to-day that meant the 3 pts made their way to Celtic Park. His save from the great dipping shot was just top class. Remember this was the ground that he suffered badly at last year.
HINKEL...................7 At the beginning I thought he was looking shady but as Celtic gained control so did the benefit of his attacking style shine through. The delivery for the goal was top class and if he is going to leave before the transfer window then 4m+ is the price!
CALDWELL.............6 No mistakes and a steady performance but I still became a little tense when he has time on the ball deep in our half.
LOOVENS...............6 When the pressure was exerted I was happy to have him playing in such a solid and determined way.
FOX.......................7 Settling in very well and another good, skillful performance although because of what is asked of him in he does leave a gap behind him which can be exploited.
BROWN.............. 6 Played in a deeper position than he might have wished but I don’t think he has started the season in the form or influence that I would have expected.
N’GUEMO............4 Very disappointed in his contribution. He was off the pace, his distribution was poor and he did not dominate the midfield as I would have expected.
McGEADY............. 6 He was again the main threat as he pestered the Hibs defence. Was rightly yellow carded for the first time but I could not believe that he yellow carded the second time although when I watch the replays and noticed his lack of re-action maybe he did go down too easily.
MALONEY......... 6 Some good work but nothing resulted from it.
McDONALD......... 5 Another ineffective performance and if it meant that his sale would allow a big striker to come to the club I would not be too downhearted.
SAMARAS...........7 Was much more involved than Skippy. He won a lot of the ball in the air and he got himself in the right position to make contact with Hinkel’s cross. Was pleased that he played his part when the team went down to 10 men.
SUBS..................
KILLEN...............6 He actually caused problems when he replaced McDonald and played up front on his own.
FLOOD..............5 Replaced N’Guemo. One day he’ll get the opportunity to play in a midfield role.
CADDIS............5 Replaced Maloney and did well.
REF................... 5 Rec’d high praise from the t.v. pundit (Burley)for the sending off of McGeady but at worst he should have awarded a foul. The linesman who was standing much closer gave a foul to Celtic.
GOALS.............. 1. A splendid cross field passing move saw Hinkel pick up the ball in an advanced position on the wing and send over a great cross for Samaras to bullet the header into the net.
COMMENTS:
1. I agree with Tony Mowbray, it wasn’t a great Celtic display.................too many missed passes at critical times and still not convinced about the composure in the defence.
2. The trip to The Emirates proved once again what a good support we have and the following back up that feeling:
“The best fans on the continent"
El Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona (before UEFA Cup game in 2004)
"Celtic fans, you are great, you are marvellous"
Sepp Blatter (FIFA President, 2003)
Ancelotti [AC Milan Manager]would certainly welcome back Celtic to the Champions League on a regular basis, if only for their supporters. The sight of 10,000 Celtic fans giving their team a standing ovation at the end prompted Ancelotti to reflect that Scottish football followers could teach their Italian counterparts a lesson in loving the game. “This is what we need in Italy, this type of environment,” the Milan coach said. “This was the essence of sport. To hear the Celtic fans singing and chanting after the game was incredible.”
Ancelotti (AC Milan Manager 2007, Fri. March 9th London Times).
"Rangers or Celtic?
My first feeling was Celtic. When I was 13 years old I saw for the first time in my life a European Cup final - Inter against Celtic. That image is, even today, clear in my mind; that day, that game, Jimmy Johnstone, Riva... I was so impressed. When I was in Mozambique, far away from football in Europe, I always remembered that day and that team. Especially because when they started to play in the national stadium in Portugal I thought Celtic were Sporting Lisbon because they dressed like Sporting."
Carlos Quieroz (Man U assistant manager)
William Gaillard (UEFA's director of communications and public affairs) speaking after the European Cup final between Liverpool and AC Milan in 2007, was asked about what is going to be done in the future when another British club gets into the final and there is the same problems of fan behaviour/troubles getting into the ground. His answer?
"......Well, Celtic fans a couple of years ago went to Seville in the Uefa Cup Final and took over 3 times the amount of fans there. There was not one bit of trouble as all the fans that had no tickets stayed in the square and had a big party. Every team should follow Celtic's fan behaviour and that mentality"
(William Gaillard, UEFA's director of communications and public affairs, 24/05/07 Sky Sports News)
"Celtic, like Barcelona, are more than a football club. Our clubs are a symbol of a culture and community that has not always been made welcome in their respective countries."
Xavi (Barcelona midfielder)
"Celtic fans are some of the greatest supporters I know," he said.
AC Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf (Oct 2007)
On Eurosport, they were looking at the highlights and lowlights of the last round of CL games. One of the lows was the tackle on Scott Brown, but the highlights were the Celtic fans. To paraphrase the commentator "You may think your fans are good but take look at these" before showing YNWA (and gave it respect in silence). He also added: "You may have it good here at Anfield but the Celtic fans do it best!" Superb stuff.
Eurosport (Nov 07)
"It will stick in my mind for ever that after the game the Celtic players were extremely good sportsmen and, together with their supporters, they gave us a standing ovation when we were receiving the cup."
Eddy Pieters Graafland (Feyenoord goalkeeper) after the 1970 European Cup final
“Celtic have all the cool people supporting them. Rangers have me and Wet Wet Wet!!!”
Alan McGee’s lament on the great truth
(Alan McGee was the founder of Creation Records and the former manager of Oasis (who also happen to be Man City and Celtic fans))
"Anyone going to Celtic Park now is saying, 'You've got to beat that atmosphere, the energy they spend in their games'."
Alex Ferguson (Sep 08)
"When I was at Porto my team also played in the UEFA Cup final against a Scottish side - but it was Celtic. I've never seen such emotional people. It was unbelievable!"
Jose Mourinho (ex-Porto Manager) looking back on thae UEFA cup final 2003 (May 2008)
"The Celtic fans are incredible. It is always great to play there."
Ronaldo (Man U & Portugal player) Nov 08
'The Greatest Team on Earth'
Local billing for Celtic on a visit to the Midlands in the 1890s, shows how great and long our history is
Quotes by Celts
"Being a Celtic supporter is the only role that gives me any sense of communal identity, that gives me a feeling of being part of something bigger and more important than myself, that links me in any kind of deep emotional bond with other human beings. What are the alternatives? To be Scottish, or a Socialist, or an existentialist, or a nihilistic misanthrope, or an alienated athiest? Being a logical positivist is a source of some comfort, but only intellectually. In the final analysis being a Celtic supporter means that I am not and never will be totally alone, or beyond the understanding of similar beings."
David Bennie (Author of the superlative autobiographical "Not Playing for Celtic" book)
"Celtic Park, where a man is judged by his football alone"
Willie Maley
"Football without the fans is nothing"
Jock Stein
"We don't want to live with history, to be compared with legends from the past. We must make new legends".
Jock Stein (After winning his first league title as Celtic manager in 1966)
"The best place to defend is in the oppositions penalty box."
Jock Stein and the Celtic playing philosophy
"Celtic Football Club is the fans, without them there is no club."
Paul McStay
"The Celtic supporters were out of this world. I've still to find supporters to better them."
Tommy Gemmell
"They are a superb set of fans and they love to see us battle for the cause"
Bobo Balde
"The Celtic supporters know their football."
Shunsuke Nakamura
"They are a fantastic club with amazing support."
Henrik Larsson
"You could take all the derby matches in the world and put them together and they still wouldn't equal one-millionth of the Old Firm. There's nothing like it."
Paolo Di Canio
"Celtic is far more than a football club. The traditions, the history, the warmth - you have to experience it every day to really understand this."
Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (June 08)