Keane fails to rouse Celtic as title hopes fade

February 3, 2010

Tony Mowbray’s hopes that his new look Celtic could revive their Scottish Premier League title challenge lay in ruins here on Tuesday after they were beaten 1-0 by relegation-threatened Kilmarnock.

Defeat leaves ‘The Hoops’ trailing bitter-rivals Rangers by 10 points.

The Celtic manager grabbed the headlines on transfer deadline day with the loan signings of Diomansy Kamara and Tottenham Hotspur’s captain Robbie Keane and the pair started the game in a line-up bereft of any Scots.

With such impressive additions to their attacking line-up Celtic were expected to dominate a Kilmarnock side hovering two points above bottom spot however Keane was denied a handful of chances by the impressive Cameron Bell.

But it was Kilmarnock debutant Chris Maguire who grabbed the headlines when he scored the only goal of the game seven minutes into the second-half to give his new side their first win over Celtic since May 2001, which leaves the losers title hopes in tatters.

Mowbray said he was disappointed not to reduce Rangers’ lead.

“There are no excuses. It didn’t roll for us tonight,” said Mowbray, who radically revamped the squad in January getting rid of several of predecessor Gordon Strachan’s players.

“I thought we had enough of the ball and possession and enough opportunities to win the game but didn’t take them.”

Jimmy Calderwood was delighted to get his first league win as Kilmarnock boss.

“We got the luck tonight as Celtic started really well,” said Calderwood, who replaced the long serving Jim Jefferies.

“But we hung on and started to play a wee bit and caused them problems and I thought Maguire was wonderful.”

Celtic supporters came in their thousands for the eagerly anticipated debut of Keane and his first meaningful involvement came just four minutes in when he teed up Ki Sung-Yeung to blast over the bar from 20 yards out.

Kilmarnock, who scored four against Dundee United at the weekend, soon showed their strengths going forward.

Liam Kelly was first to try his luck when he struck a swerving effort straight at Artur Boruc before Jamie Hamill fired into the side netting from a tight angle.

Despite their efforts it was the visitors who nearly took the lead.

Kamara’s corner was headed past Bell but Garry Hay was on the line to clear the danger.

Kamara then cut in from the left before flashing a powerful shot just wide of the post. As the game headed towards the break Keane, who had scored just once in his last 11 appearances for Spurs, squandered a hat-trick of chances.

Firstly he was picked out at the edge of the box by his Republic of Ireland colleague Aiden McGeady but his sidefooted shot was deflected wide before his attempt to chip Bell flew over the bar.

Keane should have scored when he raced into the box in the 38th minute but with only the keeper to beat the striker opted to place his shot too close to Bell, who recovered to save again on the rebound.

But it was a Kilmarnock debutant that grabbed the headlines when Maguire fired the home side into a 52nd minute lead.

Mehdi Taouil found the on-loan Aberdeen forward in space in the box and he struck an angled shot past Boruc into the bottom left-hand corner before defender Jos Hooiveld could close him down.

Keane was left frustrated when his goal-bound strike from Fortune’s weighted cross was deflected wide by Simon Ford and Glenn Loovens’ header was inches away from going in.

Ki was left holding his head as his fiercely struck shot from the edge of the box somehow stayed out before Bell made a point-blank save from Keane.

KILMARNOCK, Scotland (AFP)

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Celtic land Kamara in deadline day swoop

February 1, 2010

Celtic have signed Senegal striker Diomansy Kamara on loan from Fulham in a move that casts further doubt on the future of the Hoops’ Australian forward Scott McDonald.

As well as bringing in Kamara, Celtic announced on Monday that they had done a permanent deal to bring Motherwell’s teenage winger Paul Slane to Parkhead.

Manager Tony Mowbray was also hoping to tie up a transfer deadline day deal to take Holland international left-back Edson Braafheid on loan from Bayern Munich in order to fill the gap created by Danny Fox’s move to Burnley.

Kamara’s arrival follows last week’s capture of Denmark striker Morten Rasmussen and will inevitably intensify fears among Celtic fans that the club are preparing to cash in on McDonald, despite assurances to the contrary from Mowbray.

The Australian is currently sidelined by a hernia but that has not prevented enquiries about his availability from struggling English Premier League clubs Wigan and West Ham, as well as Championship outfit Middlesbrough, now managed by former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan.

Kamara, 29, has scored three goals this season in 13 appearances for Fulham, five of which came from the bench. He told Celtic’s website that he was looking to make the loan move permanent.

“Celtic is a magnificent football club,” he said. “I will be looking to do my very best to contribute and bring the supporters success and hopefully enjoy a long future with the club.”

The amount of the transfer paid for Slane was not disclosed but, with the player out of contract at the end of the season, Motherwell were not in a strong negotiating position.

Well chairman John Boyle admitted he had been disappointed by Slane’s refusal to sign a long-term contract at the club that fostered his talent.

“Paul has been at the club for six years and we have financed his development and nurtured his talent, culminating in his senior debut at the end of last season,” Boyle said.

“We have also stuck by and supported him over those years through both personal issues and injury and felt we were due some degree of loyalty for our efforts. Sadly, he has chosen to refuse our offers and move on to Celtic.”

Adding to Motherwell’s sense of grievance is the fact that Celtic were made aware of the player’s potential by their youth academy chief Chris McCart, who previously performed the same role at Fir Park.

GLASGOW (AFP)

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14/08/09: Transfer Rumors

August 14, 2009

‘Aston Villa target Wesley Sneijder says he does not want to leave Real Madrid and wants to stay at the Bernabeu and fight for his place.’ – Independent

‘Diomansy Kamara insists he will remain with Fulham despite being linked with a move to French champions Bordeaux.’ – Press Association

‘Everton have bid £8m for Newcastle central defender Steven Taylor in a move which could pave the way for Joleon Lescott to leave Goodison Park for Manchester City.’ – The Daily Star

‘Franck Ribery is believed to be keen to leave Bayern Munich which could encourage Chelsea and Manchester United to increase their efforts to sign the French winger.’ – Times

‘Aston Villa have moved to bolster their defence by putting in a £5m bid for Manchester City centre-back Richard Dunne.’ – Daily Express

‘Damien Duff could be another player to leave Newcastle as Wolves and Fulham battle it out for the left-sided midfielder.’ – Daily Mirror

‘Manchester United scouts were casting their eye over Argentine striker Sergio Aguero in his country’s 3-2 win over Russia on Wednesday.’ – The Sun

‘FC Barcelona have stepped up their mission for strengthening its defense with Emannuel Eboué of Arsenal and Gregory Grygera of Juventus being seen as potential signings’ – Secondo Sport

‘Galatasaray coach Frank Rijkaard has made Real Madrid’s Guti as one of his priorities with the midfielder declaring that he would prefer to stay with the los Merengues until the end of his contract in June 2011.’ – El Mundo

‘David Beckham has said that he is confident of a future return to Milan, after spending six months on loan last season from the Los Angeles Galaxy.’ – Gazzetta dello Sport

‘Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce has told chairman John Williams to provide the funds to sign former Real Madrid defender Michel Salgado.’ – Daily Mirror

‘Sunderland are planning a triple swoop for Pompey keeper David James and defender Sylvain Distin as well as Lucas Neill, who is out of contract at West Ham.’ – Daily Mirror

‘Bolton boss Gary Megson says the club took out an £8m escape clause in the contract of Gary Cahill when the defender recently signed a new contract.’ – Daily Mail

‘Middlesbrough striker Tuncay Sanli is set to join Fenerbahce on loan.’ – Daily Mirror

‘But Wolves and Everton are interested in the Turkey striker as well and could get him for about £6m.’ – Independent

‘Free agent Mark Viduka, who last played for Newcastle United, could make a Premier League comeback with Fulham.’ – Sky Sports

‘Daniel Moreira has agreed a two-year contract with Boulogne if he get’s released by Rennes.’ – L’Equipe

‘Saint-Etienne have agreed with Besiktas for the transfer of it’s Brazilian striker Bobo.’ – L’Equipe

‘PSG’s Jérôme Rothen has agreed with Blackburn for a three-year contract.’ – Le Parisien

‘Felipe Mattioni of Gremio could join Catalona giants FC Barcelona for a fee around € 3m.’ – RAC 1

Abhimanyu Rajput

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Fulham beat Bolton in first away win

March 15, 2009

LONDON (AFP) – Andrew Johnson, Simon Davies and Diomansy Kamara scored for Fulham in a 3-1 victory over Bolton to notch up their first away Premiership win of the season and stop the rot of two consecutive defeats.

Kevin Davies had equalised on the stroke of half-time for Bolton to notch up his 50th goal for the Trotters and remained the club’s top Premier League scorer with 11.

For the statisticians, Bolton’s Matthew Taylor made his 350th club career start, including matches at former clubs Luton and Portsmouth, Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer kept up his run of playing every Premiership match this season, and Johnson bagged his seventh goal of the season.

Neither keeper touched the ball in the opening 15 minutes and the first shot on goal came after the match had already been going for 30 minutes.

Bolton’s Andy O’Brien made a mistake to concede the first goal three minutes before the break when the centre-back poked the ball past keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen, and saw Fulham’s Johnson slide in at the far post to score.

But with seconds of the half remaining, Kevin Davies scored an equaliser. He chested down a long punt to teammate and namesake Mark Davies who returned the pass to the striker and he jinked his way into the area and fired home.

Then in the 56th minute, Simon Davies put Fulham ahead. He got into the box, took a tumble, then got back up and found Danny Murphy whose first shot rebounded off the crossbar. The ball broke back to Davies who hit a low volley into the net in Fulham’s first attack of the second half.

Kamara completed the scoring with Fulham’s third goal in the 88th minute following his low, left-foot drive to punish a foiled attempt by Bolton to clear the ball away.

Written by: AFP