Celtic F.C

**Tizzer22** · 10 April, 2008, 19:35

Burnley on red alert over Derek Riordan

BURNLEY have been put on high alert as Derek Riordan's Celtic career looks to be all but over.

The former Hibernian striker was locked in showdown talks with Bhoys boss Gordon Strachan last night at the club's Lennoxtown HQ after comments he made before the weekend's defeat against Motherwell, and for failing to play a club fine.

The 25-year-old was quoted as saying he has "virtually chucked it" at Celtic and accused Strachan of "talking rubbish". He also FROM BACK PAGE reported Celtic to PFA Scotland for trying to fine him ?1000 for failing to attend a supporters rally.

But he looks set to be fined for his outburst in the media and released from Celtic, which will interest Clarets boss Owen Coyle.

Coyle tried to bring Riordan, who has made just 13 starts and 19 sub appearances in the green and white hoops, to Turf Moor during the January transfer window.

The Clarets made a ?400,000, plus add-ons, bid for the Scottish international at the end of January but were thwarted after it was revealed that Strachan wanted closer to ?1million for him.
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But after events in recent weeks, Riordan looks set for a move and Burnley would surely be interested.

**Tizzer22** · 10 April, 2008, 19:38

Celtic ace eyes SPL miracle

Celtic striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink is still hopeful his side can overhaul Rangers in the Scottish Premier League title race – because he has seen with Holland that the impossible can happen.

Gordon Strachan’s side are seven points behind Rangers, who have a game in hand going into the final month of the season.

But Vennegoor of Hesselink, having been part of a friendly international which saw Holland recover from 3-0 down to defeat Austria last month, is still keeping the faith.

He said: “A lot of things can happen in football and if you had been at the game in Vienna you would never have thought Holland could have won.

“But everything changed in one moment. I’m sure, and I hope, that can happen with Celtic in the league.

“We’re in a different situation because for the last couple of years Celtic have been the club who have been chased. Now we’re chasing. We can’t close our eyes to how difficult that is but it’s important to think positively. For example, I think the split will be good for Celtic. We’ll be playing teams who want to play football.

“I mean no disrespect to teams from the bottom half of the league but it will be good for us to play teams who want to play good football. Hopefully it will lead to a nice end to the season.”

**Tizzer22** · 10 April, 2008, 19:41

McGhee To Hearts...Or Celtic?!

There have been rumours linking Motherwell's Mark McGhee with the vacant manager's job at Tynecastle for quite a few months now and once again the mill would appear to be in overdrive on this particular subject.

There would appear to be two different rumours going around in relation to the Hearts job that almost everyone seems to have heard: one of them is that Craig Levein will be returning if Romanov & co agree to his demands that he can pick his own backroom coaching team and be given the assurances over his power to control everyone that a manager should.

However this seems to have died down a bit lately, with many people feeling that Levein is unlikely to give up his rather 'cushy' position at Tannadice to throw himself into the relative circus-like surroundings of Tynecastle.

The latest chat seems to be that McGhee coming to the club is a 'done deal' (isn't it always?!), with the only potential spanner in the works coming if Celtic decide to show an interest in their former striker if they get rid of Gordon Strachan.

I must admit that the latter does sound awfully like the 150 or so other rumours we've heard in recent times with regards to the Hearts manager that haven't come to fruition, but surely one of them has to eventually be right?!

McGhee certainly is a realistic target for Hearts. He's a guy who definitely still has a lot to prove in terms of consistently good performance as a manager with a biggish club . He seems to have done quite well at most places he's been initially, but has tended to find it difficult sustaining this. I've been impressed by what I've seen of him and his team so far this season, in particular his articulate handling of the media, which is something that is of the utmost importance when it comes to this sort of position in football these days. But you also have to be able to do more than merely talk a good game.

To be honest although Strachan is under pressure at Celtic, even if he is given the elbow I'd doubt very much if McGhee would be their top choice to replace him. It would be true to say that he has a bit of history with Celtic so that would make him instantly more popular with a support who tend to want their managers to be 'one of them' than the ginger whinger, but I'm not convinced that he has the necessary managerial credentials to go there - certainly not yet anyway. I'd have thought someone like former Hibs manager Tony Mowbray would be a more likely target for them. But you never know.

I certainly wouldn't be too disappointed if Hearts ended up with Mark McGhee in the summer. Given what's gone before you'd almost take anyone who resembles a 'conventional' manager for the sake of some sanity, but I couldn't ever see McGhee standing for the sort of rubbish that the likes of Ivanauskas and Frail have, so if he was unveiled I'd like to be cautiously optimistic that he'd been given the assurances we'd all expect a Hearts manager to have.

**Tizzer22** · 11 April, 2008, 18:21

kick-off time confirmed for old firm clash

THE Scottish Premier League has confirmed the kick-off time for the April 27 meeting with Rangers at Celtic Park.

The top of the table clash will kick-off at 12.30pm on Sunday April 27.

**Tizzer22** · 11 April, 2008, 18:23

Celtic fans can boo me all they want, insists defiant Strachan

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan says he is happy to be booed by the Parkhead fans because he is convinced the Scottish champions can still turn their season around.

Last weekend's 1-0 home defeat to Motherwell means Celtic now trail Rangers by seven points in the race for the title having played a game more than Walter Smith's team.

And, towards the end of the Motherwell defeat on Saturday, one section of the Celtic support turned on Strachan, putting huge pressure on the manager ahead if this Sunday's repeat fixture at Fir Park.

But Strachan insists he isn't worried about the crowd's reaction.

"It's understandable," he said. "When people are scared they react in different ways and that's understandable.

"I don't have any beef with that."

Strachan also claimed his side's recent poor results were down to "freak circumstances" and, as in recent weeks, he trotted out a set of statistics to back up his theory.

He said: "In the five games we have played recently, the total attempts on target from our opponents has been six, possibly seven.

"For Motherwell's goal last week, Artur Boruc saved the first shot and the other guy put it in, so that can be one or two shots, whatever you want.

"If you count it as one shot, then that's six shots against us in five games. People will say that's only statistics but people throw statistics against us.

"Three of the shots went into the net which means Artur has only had three saves to make in five games.

"If you had a defensive coach, he would be more than happy with that. It's just freaky circumstances at the moment.

"The big statistic is not scoring enough goals but we are good enough to know that once we start scoring goals then you will look at the performances as being terrific.

"We just need to start scoring goals and once we score goals, the world becomes a different place.?

**Tizzer22** · 11 April, 2008, 18:26

Manager wants goals against Motherwell

GORDON Strachan will urge his players to stick to the game plan and get the goals that will make the difference in this weekend?s league meeting with Motherwell.

The players will go into the game at Fir Park on Sunday determined to make amends for last weekend?s 1-0 defeat at Celtic Park and keep their title defence alive as the league enters the final furlong.

Describing Celtic?s recent run of ?form? as freakish, the manager explained that his players have done everything but find the back of the net in their past couple of games, defending well and creating chances and he commented: ?Our performance in the first half last week was excellent, in the second half we had enough chances there to score goals.

?In the five games we have played recently, when the results haven?t gone so well, the total attempts on target, between the five teams, is six, possibly seven.

?The six or seven is Motherwell?s goal where Artur saved it and the rebound got put in, so that might be one or two shots depending on how you look at it. But if you count it as one, that?s six shots on target in five games.

?People will say that?s only stats, but people throw stats up against us with our performances,? he added.

?There have been six shots on target, three have gone in the net and that means Artur?s only had three saves to make in five games, so if you have a defensive coach I think he?d be more than happy with that. It?s just freaky circumstances at the moment.?

Pondering Celtic?s profligacy in front of goal, the manager explained that the team selection was obviously in his thoughts for Sunday but added that he will not be forced into a knee-jerk reaction.

He said: ?We just need to start scoring goals and once we start doing that, the world becomes a different place.

?It would only be a reward for what the players are trying to do,? he added. ?We want to score goals and once we start scoring goals again, the players will feel more confident in front of goal.

?The priority is scoring goals and once we do that, we will win games and we?ll take it from there.

?It?s a big stat, scoring goals. In terms of the big picture we are happy with a lot of things, but the big stat is not scoring enough goals.

?We know that and we also know that we when we start scoring, we are producing the performance and people will say, ?that?s a terrific performance?.?

The signs have so far been good in training at Lennoxtown, with team spirit and general morale high in the face of the recent defeats and the players determined to get back to winning ways on Sunday.

?Training?s been good and we?ve enjoyed it,? the manager concluded. ?We?ve had one or two wee things to work on but it?s been good. The weather?s been not too bad either, which is good.

?I always get a good reaction from this squad, win, lose or draw and the reaction would only be to the result and not to the performance, because the performance was more than enough to win many a game.

?So if you are talking about a reaction to a result, they should be alright. But they don?t need to react to the performance because it was good enough to win many games.?

**Tizzer22** · 11 April, 2008, 18:28

Naylor says the League is what matters most

Defender Lee Naylor insists he has no problem with Rangers adding the UEFA Cup and Scottish Cup to their League Cup trophy win this season as long as Celtic retain their Clydesdale Bank Premier League title.

Rangers' 2-0 win over Sporting Lisbon on Thursday night took them through to a UEFA Cup semi-final against Fiorentina - their first European semi-final in 36 years - and keeps them on course to win four trophies this season.

Walter Smith's side are seven points ahead of the Hoops in the title race with a game in hand.

And with the League Cup already in the bag, the Light Blues face Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup quarter-final replay on Sunday as favourites to make it through to the semi-finals against another Irn-Bru First Division side, St Johnstone.

Asked if he would accept Rangers winning the Scottish Cup and the UEFA Cup if Celtic could retain their title, Naylor said: "Absolutely.

"The league is very important to us. If they go and win them, fair play to them.

"But we are not in them, we are trying to win this league.

"Fair play to them, they are doing their stuff, but we've got to look at what we've got to do."

Naylor, looking forward to playing Motherwell at Fir Park on Sunday following their 1-0 defeat by the Steelmen last week, added: "Everyone is pulling together and it's important that everyone does that.

"We are all trying to do the right thing, we are trying to win games.

"We could have done with a game in midweek but there you go, we just need to try and win this game."

**gazz10** · 12 April, 2008, 12:16

Motherwell v Celtic (Sun)

Motherwell pair David Clarkson and Bob Malcolm are suspended but the home team have no injury worries.

Clarkson completes a two-match ban and Malcolm is out for one game following his red card in the 1-0 win at Celtic Park last weekend.

Celtic midfielder Scott Brown begins a three-match ban at Fir Park.

Striker Derek Riordan, who is at loggerheads with the club over a ?1,000 fine, is unlikely to be included in the visitors' squad.

Victory for the defending SPL champions would move them four points behind leaders Rangers, although the Ibrox side will have two games in hand.

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Motherwell (from): G Smith, Quinn, Hammell, Craigan, Reynolds, Lasley, Hughes, Fitzpatrick, Lappin, Porter, McCormack, D Smith, Murphy, Archdeacon, Daniels, McGarry, McLean, Maguire.

Celtic (from): Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor, Nakamura, Donati, Robson, McGeady, McDonald, Samaras, Vennegoor of Hesselink, M Brown, Wilson, Sno, Hartley, Hutchinson, Killen.

**gazz10** · 12 April, 2008, 12:18

Motherwell v Celtic (Sun)

Motherwell pair David Clarkson and Bob Malcolm are suspended but the home team have no injury worries.

Clarkson completes a two-match ban and Malcolm is out for one game following his red card in the 1-0 win at Celtic Park last weekend.

Celtic midfielder Scott Brown begins a three-match ban at Fir Park.

Striker Derek Riordan, who is at loggerheads with the club over a ?1,000 fine, is unlikely to be included in the visitors' squad.

Victory for the defending SPL champions would move them four points behind leaders Rangers, although the Ibrox side will have two games in hand.

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Motherwell (from): G Smith, Quinn, Hammell, Craigan, Reynolds, Lasley, Hughes, Fitzpatrick, Lappin, Porter, McCormack, D Smith, Murphy, Archdeacon, Daniels, McGarry, McLean, Maguire.

Celtic (from): Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor, Nakamura, Donati, Robson, McGeady, McDonald, Samaras, Vennegoor of Hesselink, M Brown, Wilson, Sno, Hartley, Hutchinson, Killen.

**Tizzer22** · 13 April, 2008, 18:15

Celtic return to winning ways

Motherwell 1 Celtic 4:A Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink double in a 4-1 win over Motherwell at Fir Park breathed fresh life into Celtic's Clydesdale Bank Premier League title hopes ahead of the Old Firm clash on Wednesday.

Stephen McManus and Scott McDonald also notched for the visitors with Well's consolation strike coming when McManus helped a Ross McCormack shot into his own net.

Motherwell had won 1-0 at Parkhead last Saturday but there was no danger of a repeat.

The visitors looked determined to win straight from the first whistle and although they were pegged back in the first half after McManus had given them a 16th-minute lead, they ran out convincing winners in the end.

The victory closed the gap on SPL leaders Rangers to four points and although the Ibrox side have two games in hand, Gordon Strachan's side have the chance to put the pressure on with a win at Celtic Park in midweek.

The first chance of the game came in the ninth minute when Hoops midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura put McDonald in at the right-hand side of the Motherwell box.

The former Fir Park player cut inside Well defender Steven Hammell to set up a shooting opportunity from 14 yards out but sliced his shot wide of the far post.

The visitors looked more dangerous and in the 16th minute they took the lead through skipper McManus.

Celtic defender Gary Caldwell challenged Motherwell goalkeeper Graeme Smith for the ball after Nakamura had played in a free-kick, the ball spun high in the air and McManus climbed among a clutch of bodies to bundle it over the line from about a yard out.

Moments later, with the Fir Park defence missing, McDonald missed a sitter when he misdirected his header wide of the target from only six yards out.

But in the 23rd minute the home side levelled when McCormack broke on the counter-attack.

With the Celtic defence stretched, the former Rangers player played a one-two with Well midfielder Stephen Hughes, moved into the Hoops penalty area and beat Parkhead goalkeeper Artur Boruc with his angled shot and McManus could only help the ball into the net.

McCormack was booked for his over-exuberant celebrations but the game soon turned back in Celtic's favour.

In the 29th minute, Nakamura's cross was headed up in the air by Fir Park stopper Stephen Craigan and McDonald's volley from 12 yards took a deflection off Mark Reynolds to beat Smith at his near post.

Three minutes before the interval Celtic extended their lead with the minimum of fuss when Vennegoor of Hesselink bulleted Barry Robson's corner past Smith from eight yards out.

The points looked safe for Celtic as the interval whistle sounded and after the break it was Smith who was called into action almost immediately when he had to tip a powerful McDonald drive over the bar for a corner.

The home side defended the set-piece and raced up to the other end where McCormack sent a 25-yard volley inches past the post.

But Celtic were well on top and they stretched their lead further in the 56th minute when Vennegoor of Hesselink pounced on a loose ball 12 yards from goal and volleyed high into the net past Smith.

Motherwell looked a shadow of the side which had defended so resolutely at Celtic Park eight days previously as the visitors looked quicker, stronger and more determined in most areas.

Boruc was forced into a good save when Hughes ended a fine driving run by unleashing a shot from the edge of the box.

While there seemed no prospect of Celtic letting their three-goal cushion slip, Motherwell continued to search for a glimmer of hope but were denied again when McCormack's free-kick from 25 yards was comfortably gathered by Boruc.

The match petered out and it was Celtic who bounded off the pitch at the end knowing a win against Rangers at home on Wednesday could give them a championship lifeline

**Tizzer22** · 14 April, 2008, 11:20

Hartley: Celtic spirit never in doubt

Celtic midfielder Paul Hartley has told Setanta Sports that despite recent results harmony within the team was never lacking, it was just goals and victories that highlighted the ?problem?.

Celtic bounced back at Motherwell on Sunday, winning 4-1 to keep their slim hopes of landing the SPL title alive.

The Bhoys still have it all to do to catch Rangers, but Hartley insists the squad have always remained together despite criticism.

?We?ve always had the team spirit,? Hartley told Setanta Sports. ?It?s just the results that haven?t gone our way in the past few weeks, we?ve been playing well enough but not scoring any goals.

?Sunday?s result was a really good team performance you could see the spirit was always there, but we took our chances today with some great set pieces.?

There were no complaints from the former Hearts player about the pitch and in fact he reckons Celtic actually played well considering the state of the surface.

Hartley added: ?I thought we played well, especially on a difficult surface, it was very bobbly but we managed to get the ball down and try and pass it and we took our chances at the right time.?

After the recent goal drought, the Celtic players were more than relieved as the celebrations showed with every passing goal, and Hartley agreed it was crucial that the game had to be won not just for the points, but with an Old Firm clash very much on the players? minds as well.

?Yeah we had to win the game it was as simple as that,? Hartley said. ?We managed to do that and we have another tough game on Wednesday night.

?We go into that game with a lot of confidence now.?

Three points for Celtic on Wednesday night will narrow the gap even further on Rangers but again Hartley was looking beyond that clash on Wednesday.

Hartley added: ?We have to win every game till the end of the season, so we will see where it takes us but Old Firm games are always difficult.

?We played well in the last one but didn?t manage to get the result, but hopefully we can get the right result on Wednesday.?

**Tizzer22** · 16 April, 2008, 10:01

Samaras rules out City return

Georgios Samaras has confirmed he has no intention of heading back to Manchester City when his loan spell at Celtic draws to a close.

The Greece forward has made a decent impression at Celtic and has boosted his chances of making it to Euro 2008 during his loan spell.

Samaras is undecided on whether to remain at Celtic, but has made it clear he will not be heading back to Eastlands.

"I'm glad I'm here at Celtic, trying to help me to the European Championship in the summer," he said.

"That is why I want them to help them win the title but what will happen in the summer, I don't know.

"All I know is I won't be going back to Manchester City. That is for sure. I don't want to go back there.

"I am happy just now but in the future I want to be the first striker at the club.

"The manager has to tell me I will be one of his first-choice strikers.

"After the summer we will sit round the table and see what happens. Staying at Celtic is my first choice but only time will tell."

**Tizzer22** · 16 April, 2008, 10:05

Celtic face Rangers in crucial Old Firm derby

Celtic will be hoping to get their SPL title challenge back on track when they face Rangers in an Old Firm derby tonight.

The Hoops are currently four points behind the league leaders, who also have two games in hand.

Victory tonight would give Rangers a seemingly unassailable advantage, but Celtic boss Gordon Strachan is refusing to concede the title, even his side loses the game.

**Tizzer22** · 16 April, 2008, 10:23

Celtic, Werder Bremen join Bosman battle for Le Mans star Daisuke Matsui

Le Mans winger Daisuke Matsui will have the pick of clubs when he comes off contract in June.

The Japan international is courting interest from Lazio, Genoa, Wolfsburg, Werder Bremen and Celtic - among others - as he prepares to leave France in the summer.

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