Celtic must make home advantage count: Mowbray

November 28, 2009

Celtic manager Tony Mowbray has targeted a run of three home wins to help turn round his side’s stuttering start to the season.

The Hoops have struggled for form under their new gaffer, who moved from West Bromwich Albion in the summer, and have won just two games out of their last ten in all competitions.

Celtic, who have already exited the League Cup, slipped to second in the Scottish Premier League last weekend after losing 2-1 away to Dundee United and face a fight to stay in the Europa League beyond Christmas.

Mowbray and his men now have three home games in eight days starting with St Mirren on Saturday, followed by Hapoel Tel-Aviv on Wednesday before Aberdeen come calling next weekend.

Celtic could find themselves four points behind rivals Rangers as they run out at Parkhead on Saturday if Rangers pick up a win away to Aberdeen in the early kick-off match.

The run of home games could be crucial to Celtic’s domestic and European ambitions and Mowbray hopes his players can forget their poor form and kick-start their season with a win against the Buddies.

“The very nature of football is that players and managers are going to suffer setbacks frustrations and defeats,” said Mowbray.

“You have got to put it behind you and get back on the training ground. There is always another big game around the corner, and that’s the case with us.

“The message has to be that we have to all stick together.

“We have three home games coming up in the space of eight days, against St Mirren, Hapoel, and Aberdeen. And we have to try to win them all.

“That’s always the target at Celtic, winning matches. We have not done that consistently enough this season, but we will keep working together to find that level of consistency.

“Hopefully, we can get a result against St Mirren and then build on that.”

Celtic could be boosted by the return of midfield pair Zheng Zhi and Paddy McCourt for the visit of the Buddies, with both having missed the defeat at Tannadice.

Scott Brown is missing with an ankle injury as are Shaun Maloney and goalkeeper Artur Boruc. In the early kick-off game on Saturday Old Firm rivals Rangers have to put their European disappointment behind them as they face a difficult away game against Aberdeen.

Rangers gaffer Walter Smith will be without on-loan French winger Jerome Rothen for the trip north after he flew home to receive treatment for a suspected case of swine flu.

The champions have stuggled against the Dons at Pittodrie in recent years and haven’t won there since Smith returned for his second spell in charge in January 2007.

“We go to Pittodrie and that’s going to be difficult. Since I have come back to the club we have not had a great deal of success there so we would hope for better fortune,” Smith said.

“We have a decent record in the league this season but we recognise that it will be a big test for us up there.

“It’s always a good game up at Pittodrie. There is a bit of an edge to the game and hopefully we can come out on top.”

Elsewhere on Saturday Motherwell entertain Dundee United at Fir Park knowing that a win would draw them level on points with their opponents, Hibernian take on Falkirk, Kilmarnock are at home to Hearts and St Johnstone face Hamilton.

Fixtures (1500 GMT unless otherwise stated)

Saturday

Aberdeen v Rangers (1245)

Celtic v St Mirren

Hibernian v Falkirk

Kilmarnock v Hearts

Motherwell v Dundee United

St Johnstone v Hamilton

GLASGOW (AFP)

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Rangers hope Old Firm win can kick start season

October 5, 2009

Walter Smith hopes Rangers’ 2-1 Old Firm victory over Celtic can help kick-start his club’s season.

It brought to an end a run of three straight goalless draws in the Scottish Premier League for the defending champions who also endured midweek European misery with a 4-1 home defeat by Sevilla in the Champions League.

At Ibrox on Sunday the Gers gaffer had to watch on from the stand after starting a four-game domestic touchline ban as his side raced into a two-goal lead after just 15 minutes courtesy of a Kenny Miller double.

Aiden McGeady pulled one back from the penalty spot after China captain Zheng Zhi, who was making his debut for the Hoops, was fouled in the box by Sasa Papac in a first-half played at a frenzied pace.

In a scrappy second-half Rangers survived an onslaught from Celtic as Tony Mowbray threw his players forward in search of an equaliser which would have maintained their four-point advantage at the top of the Scottish Premier League.

“We were maybe needing something like this to kick-start our season as I felt we have had a slow start,” Smith said.

“We have got Celtic back to a point now but it’s now use unless we carry that on to the next lot of games we have.

“After three draws it was pleasing to get back to winning ways. We haven’t lost a league game yet so from our own point of view we were delighted to hold on to that aspect of it.

“But cutting Celtic back from what could have been a seven-point lead to one point is obviously a huge thing for us.”

Rangers striker Miller, who had been struggling before the game with a hamstring injury, showed no signs of it when he fired the home side into an eighth minute lead.

Former Hoops player Miller got a brace in the corresponding fixture last season and the striker couldn’t hide his delight at netting again against his old club.

“It was a massive win for us. Losing today was not worth thinking about really,” Miller said.

“An Old Firm win can kick-start your season but we are just happy with the win as we are still behind them.”

Meanwhile Celtic manager Tony Mowbray challenged his central defenders to prove they deserve a place in his team after defensive errors lead to both of Miller’s goals.

The former West Bromwich Albion boss has chopped and changed his defensive partnership this season with Glenn Loovens coming into the team to partner Stephen McManus at Ibrox as Gary Caldwell dropped to the bench.

The Hoops manager says he has yet to decide on a regular pairing and demanded to see improvements from his players in the weeks ahead.

“The central defenders at our club have to stake a claim and show me they possess quality week-in, week-out to take this club where we want it to be,” Mowbray said.

“But that is all over the pitch, everyone has to step up to the mark because if we want to win the SPL more often and be a power in Europe, we have to develop and if the individuals can’t step up to the mark then we will change them.”

Mowbray raised a few eyebrows when he handed new signing Zheng Zhi a debut at Ibrox but the Chinese international handled the occasion well, winning a 25th minute penalty for the Hoops.

And his manager believes there is more to come from Zhi and singled him out for praise.

“I think he showed his quality, his composure and technical ability – all those things I know he possesses,” Mowbray said.

“He can play in various positions – he can play wide, he can play off the front and in central midfield.

“He is just a good footballer and I think he showed that in spells today.”

GLASGOW (AFP)

Tags: aiden mcgeady, celtic, champions league, equaliser, frenzied pace, gaffer, hoops, league game, losing today, misery, onslaught, papac, point advantage, Scottish Premier League, striker, walter smith, winning ways, zheng zhi

Birmingham sign Joe Hart on a season-long loan

June 21, 2009

Promoted Premier League side Birmingham City have signed England U-21 International Joe Hart on a season-long loan from Manchester City

Hart will be officially unveiled after England’s under-21 European Championship campaign finishes in Sweden.

He has already helped England into the semi-finals.

Following the 2-0 win over Spain on Thursday, Blues concluded negotiations with Manchester City and the Shrewsbury-born Hart.

Hart’s arrival will come as a blow to regular number one Maik Taylor, as presumably the 22-year-old will have been given certain guarantees that he will play.

Hart is determined to force his way into full England reckoning for the World Cup and wants regular football next season, albeit on loan.

Taylor himself also wants week in, week out action to maintain his standing as Northern Ireland’s first choice as they attempt to qualify for the finals in South Africa.

Taylor, who has a year left on his contract, said he was prepared to scrap for his place.

“The gaffer is trying to strengthen in every position and that might include in goal,” he said, speaking before Hart’s capture was wrapped-up.

“I have only read the papers like everyone else and we have been linked with Joe Hart and I don’t have a problem with that.

“I will work hard in pre-season and if a new ‘keeper comes in I am more than happy to fight for my place.”

Hart moved to Manchester from Shrewsbury for £1.5million in 2006 and impressed after being given an extended opportunity by Sven-Goran Eriksson.

But Shay Given’s January arrival saw him lose his place and it was agreed with Mark Hughes that he would be loaned in order to gain more experience, and boost his England chances.

City still see Hart as the long-term successor to Given and have told Blues that they have no plans to sell him at present.

Written by: Abhimanyu Rajput