Rangers urged to keep Boyd as Celtic challenge looms

January 3, 2010


Rangers midfielder Steven Davis has urged his club to ensure in-form striker Kris Boyd, in contract talks, remains at Ibrox beyond the January transfer window.

Boyd is on a hot streak having scored five goals in the midweek 7-1 crushing of Dundee United – a performance which saw him surpass former Celtic star Henrik Larsson as the all-time top goalscorer in the Scottish Premier League.

Last year Boyd was set to join Birmingham and more recently he has been linked with Newcastle, Trabzonspor and Kayserspor in Turkey and French club Sochaux.

“From the players’ point of view we think it’s vital that we keep hold of him,” said Davis.

“I don’t think there are many players who can guarantee you 20 goals-plus a season and Boydy’s done that since I’ve been here.

“I think he’s probably one of the most lethal finishers around and obviously we’re desperate to keep him here.”

Rangers visit city rivals Celtic in this season’s second Old Firm derby at Parkhead on Sunday in a game Tony Mowbray’s side can’t afford to lose.

A win for Rangers would see them open a ten point lead over the Hoops at the top of the Scottish Premier League, albeit Celtic have played a game less, as the season reaches the half-way stage.

Boyd has netted just one goal against Celtic in his career so far but Davis added: “The way he’s playing, if we can create the chances for him then nine times out of 10 he’ll score. Hopefully, he can do that at Parkhead for us.”

But the Gers will be missing Boyd’s strike partner Kenny Miller after he lost his appeal Thursday against a straight red card on Wednesday.

“Kenny’s been playing magnificently for us and he’s been one of our best players on the run we’ve been on and managed to get amongst the goals as well,” said Davis.

“So he’ll be a big miss for us. It gives the manager a little headache. Somebody else will come in and hopefully do a job for us.”

Manager Walter Smith says that Boyd’s form means he is likely to start for the first time in a match at Parkhead since the former returned to the club two years ago.

“Right at the present moment, the team is doing extremely well and I don’t envisage a situation where you would go along there and play without him.”

Aiding Boyd’s case is the fact that Nacho Novo and Sasa Papac are suffering from a sickness bug and Madjid Bougherra is off to the African Nations Cup with Algeria, hence Rangers’ firepower is severely depleted.

While Rangers and Celtic – 43 and 36 points under their belts to date – face off, third-placed Hibernian, four points further back, host Edinburgh rivals Hearts in Sunday’s other game.

Fixtures (1500 GMT unless otherwise stated)

Sunday

Celtic v Rangers (1230), Hibernian v Hearts

GLASGOW (AFP)

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Celtic face sobering festive period, says Hinkel

December 6, 2009


Andreas Hinkel said the next month could be vital to Celtic’s title challenge after he helped his side back to the top of the Scottish Premier League with a 3-0 win over 10-man Aberdeen on Saturday.

Rivals Rangers had temporarily gone top with a 3-1 win over Falkirk in the early kick-off match which heaped the pressure on the Hoops.

But Celtic responded with what was their third win in a week at Parkhead which keeps them two points above Rangers, who have a game in hand, in the race for the title.

Celtic face their Glasgow rivals in the Old Firm derby at Parkhead on January 3 and Hinkel has targeted maximum points from their next four league matches to try and ensure the Hoops go into the game top of the table.

“This month is going to be very important for us with some hard games before the Rangers game,” the German said.

“It’s important that we take full points from them – that is the goal we have.

“The next two games, away to Motherwell and Hearts, could be vital. They are tough games but I think we can win these games and we have to.”

Against Aberdeen Marc Crosas picked out Hinkel on the right and his low ball across the box was met by Australian striker Scott McDonald, who fired the ball into the net off Langfield for the opener.

Georgios Samaras scored a double either side of Jerel Ifil’s sending off for violent conduct and Glenn Loovens and Niall McGinn saw efforts cleared off the line as Celtic ran riot in the second-half.

New Celtic manager Tony Mowbray and his team have come in for criticism this season as they struggled for form with just two wins out of ten in all competitions before their recent hat-trick of wins.

And though happy with the win, Mowbray is not about to change his habit of balancing out praise of his team with their shortcomings.

“You are never totally satisfied as a coach but there were plenty of pleasing things today,” Mowbray said.

“There have been periods of the season where we’ve been very good but that has been punctured as we’ve gone along by the odd game where we’ve dropped points.

“This week we’ve had a bit of consistency as we won three games but I have seen consistency in the performance for a few weeks.

“Management is not here to be enjoyed. I’m here to hopefully get the best out my players and at times of difficulty keep the group together and keep them believing.

“When things are going well my job is to keep their feet on the ground.

“We need to keep going because it’s a long season and at the end of the day I understand the next time we drop points it will be a crisis again.”

At Parkhead Aberdeen were reduced to 10 men in the 56th minute when Ifil saw red for violent conduct after lashing out at Samaras with his boot after the pair contested a high ball.

Mark McGhee was furious with his defender and said it may cost him his place in the side.

“If there is such a thing as a double red card then he should have got it,” the Dons boss said.

“It was stupid and reckless. It was lazy. The boy has been playing well but Zander Diamond is only a couple of weeks away from fitness.

“He might lose his place in the side because of this. I have no complaints about it apart from with him.”

GLASGOW (AFP)

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Samaras at the double as Celtic stay top

December 5, 2009


A goal from Scott McDonald and a Georgios Samaras double sealed a 3-0 win for Celtic over ten-man Aberdeen and kept the Glasgow giants top of the Scottish Premier League on Saturday.

Champions and rivals Rangers’ 3-1 win over Falkirk in the early kick-off heaped the pressure on the Hoops and they struggled to break the Dons down in the opening stages.

But Australian McDonald opened the scoring in the 39th minute before Samaras struck either side of Jerel Ifil’s sending off for violent conduct as the Hoops ran riot in the second half.

It was Celtic’s third win in a week at Parkhead and keeps them two points above Rangers, who suffered their only league defeat of the season so far in Aberdeen last week but who have a game in hand.

Tony Mowbray said it was a welcome three points.

“There were some good goals and some good attacking play,” the Celtic manager said.

“Aberdeen are a young athletic side with talented players and were always going to be dangerous but I think we managed to suffocate their counter-attacks.”

Celtic ‘keeper Artur Boruc returned after injury but there was only a place on the bench for club captain Stephen McManus on his return from a two-game suspension.

Mark McGhee made three changes to the side which defeated Rangers last weekend. Captain Mark Kerr was suspended and Andrew Considine and Ifil came in to bolster the Dons defence.

After a Charlie Mulgrew effort in the 14th minute which sailed past Boruc’s post Celtic Danny Fox came close to a sensational solo goal two minutes later for the hosts.

The Celtic defender intercepted a pass on the edge of his own box before going on a surging run that ended with a powerful drive which Jamie Langfield parried.

After sending one effort wide of Langfield’s post, then seeing the Dons keeper produce a fine save from a shot on the turn, McDonald saw his luck change in the 39th minute.

Marc Crosas picked out Andreas Hinkel on the right and his low ball across the box was met by McDonald who fired the ball into the net off Langfield.

Samaras doubled Celtic’s lead in the 52nd minute. McGeady cut in from the right and floated a cross to the back post where the unmarked Greek striker headed high into the net.

Aberdeen were reduced to ten-men in the 56th minute when Ifil was sent off after lashing out at Samaras with his boot after the pair had contested a high ball.

Langfield denied Samaras and McGeady in quick succession before Maurice Ross cleared Glenn Loovens’ header off the line.

Samaras made it 3-0 in the 76th minute. Crosas played a long ball over the top of the Dons defence and the Greek took two touches before prodding it past Langfield.

Landry N’Guemo then crashed a shot off the post before Samaras fired the rebound wide as he missed the chance for a hat-trick and substitute Niall McGinn saw his chipped shot cleared off the line by Ricky Foster as Aberdeen were run ragged.

Mark McGhee felt his side had been well beaten.

“We let ourselves down in the first-half with a lapse of concentration,” the Dons boss said.

“In the end I was looking at the clock and counting it down wanting the game to finish.”

Earlier in the day Kris Boyd scored his 150th goal in the SPL as Rangers won 3-1 away to Falkirk.

Boyd netted a double before Pedro Moutinho pulled one back before half-time. A second-half penalty from Kenny Miller sealed the win for Rangers.

Elsewhere Hibernian remain third with a 2-0 win over Motherwell, Dundee United defeated St Mirren 3-2 and Kilmarnock won 1-0 away to St Johnstone.

GLASGOW (AFP)

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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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Redknapp in favour of Old Firm England bid

November 10, 2009


Glasgow rivals Celtic and Rangers have won backing for their bid to join the English Premier League from Tottenham coach Harry Redknapp.

The long-standing Old Firm campaign to join the English setup was given a boost last week when both Everton’s David Moyes and Aston Villa’s Martin O’Neill endorsed Bolton chairman Phil Gartside’s plan for them to be included in a new two-tier top flight.

Gartside’s proposal is expected to be discussed at a meeting of Premier League clubs this week and Redknapp has become the first English boss to publicly back the concept.

He told the Daily Record: “Absolutely, I would welcome Celtic and Rangers to English football if they wanted to play down here. No doubt about it. I’m sure they would be good for the English game.

“We are talking about two huge football clubs and if they were to join our league you would be looking at great games in great stadiums.

“I was up in Scotland only a couple of months ago to watch Celtic play Arsenal in the Champions League qualifiers and the atmosphere was out of this world.

“It was incredible and I’d love to see games like that on a more regular basis.

“The one worry I would have is what happens to the rest of Scottish football if the two of them are allowed to leave but only the people up there know the answer to that.

“If you’re asking me if it would be good for the English game then the answer is yes.”

Former Celtic player Moyes and ex-Parkhead boss O’Neill have emotional ties to their former club but Redknapp is a more dispassionate observer.

And despite acknowledging the Old Firm would eventually become a threat to his own club, he would still welcome them with open arms.

He said: “It’s true, with the extra money they would get down here the two of them probably would end up challenging clubs such as ourselves for European places but that’s nothing something we should be scared of.

“We are talking here about two great clubs and it would be fantastic to compete against them. It would only make the game in this country stronger if we had two clubs with their tradition operating in our league.”

LONDON (AFP)

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Celtic chairman won´t risk club´s future for short-term gain

October 31, 2009


Celtic chairman John Reid told shareholders on Friday that he has no intention of risking the Scottish club’s long-term financial future for short-term success on the pitch.

Reid and chief executive Peter Lawwell met shareholders at the club’s AGM at Parkhead and gave a passionate response to accusations that failure to buy new players in January had cost the club their fourth successive Scottish Premier League title.

Reid pointed to the financial difficulties currently being suffered by Glasgow rivals Rangers, who are reportedly around 30 million pounds in debt, and also highlighted Celtic’s own money problems of 15 years ago.

“I say look around you, great institutions are falling apart or finding themselves in hock to others, from banks to commercial concerns and governments,” he said.

“You become controlled by a financial institution and utterly dependant on it if your level of debt to that institution is greater than you can afford.

“You can’t just borrow endless amounts of money to try and make up for the financial advantages that your competitors have.

“That way lies ruin. The vast majority of fans and shareholders know that.

“You have to make sure you don’t fall in to the populist trap of trying to buy an easy ride for the next few months by selling the future of the club and that is what we won’t do.

“The experience of being three hours from bankruptcy and administration, as we were in 1994, is something that those of us whose hearts belong to Celtic will never forget.

“We have learned our lesson in the past. If you spend money you don’t have to such an extent that you get debts that you can’t afford, then you lose control of your own destiny.

“This board is going to do everything we can to make sure that never happens again to Celtic.”

GLASGOW (AFP)

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Stewart´s spot-kick stuns Celtic

October 29, 2009


Hearts sent holders Celtic crashing out of the Scottish League Cup as Michael Stewart’s penalty clinched a 1-0 quarter-final win at Parkhead on Wednesday.

Tony Mowbray’s team fell behind midway through the second half when Stewart slotted home from the spot after Danny Fox’s foul on Christian Nade.

The hosts piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser but Georgios Samaras wasted several chances before Celtic defender Stephen McManus was sent off in stoppage time to complete their misery.

Mowbray made four changes to the team that defeated Hamilton at the weekend, including an overhaul of his forward line as Australia striker Scott McDonald and Samaras were replaced by China’s Zheng Zhi and New Zealand’s Chris Killen.

The Hoops almost went a goal behind within a minute when Nade lobbed over keeper Lukasz Zaluska, but right-back Andreas Hinkel was able to get back and clear before the ball crossed the line.

Mowbray’s men were back on the attack when Shaun Maloney played a one-two with Zheng and brought Hearts keeper Janos Balogh into action from the edge of the penalty area.

Hearts defender Ismael Bouzid headed David Obua’s cross past the far post before the break but Celtic finished with a flurry of pressure.

First Zheng fired wide from the edge of the area, then Balogh denied Killen with a fine stop from point-blank range.

Celtic were slow to get going after the break and Hinkel had to come to the rescue with a last-ditch tackle on Andrew Driver after the Hearts star had knocked the ball past Zaluska.

Paddy McCourt, on as a half-time substitute, gave a glimpse of his ability to conjure up a moment of magic out of nowhere. The Celtic midfielder surged away from Craig Thomson and lashed a ferocious strike against the crossbar.

But Hearts took a shock lead in the 58th minute. Fox tripped Nade inside the box as the Frenchman drove in at goal and referee Craig Thomson pointed to the spot. Zaluska got his hand to Stewart’s penalty but couldn’t keep it out.

Mowbray responded by sending on Samaras and McDonald for Zheng and Killen and Celtic laid siege to the Hearts goal in the closing stages.

Aiden McGeady set up Samaras for a close-range shot blocked by Balogh and seconds later Samaras chipped the Hearts goalkeeper from 14 yards, only to see the ball strike the base of the post and bounce out.

Samaras wasted Celtic’s final chance to force extra-time when he headed wide from McGeady’s cross.

Celtic’s frustration boiled over in the second minute of stoppage time when McManus was sent off for a wild lunge at Driver after Thomson, who had initially shown a yellow card, upgraded the offence to a red card on the advice of his linesman.

GLASGOW (AFP)

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Mowbray not concered at Celtic home form

October 18, 2009


Tony Mowbray says he isn’t concerned by Celtic’s home form after watching his side lose top spot in the Scottish Premier League following a goalless draw against Motherwell.

The Celtic coach was visibly frustrated after watching his side waste a host of chances against Jim Gannon’s side, who also held Rangers to a goalless draw at Fir Park earlier in the season.

The pressure was on the Hoops going into the game after Old Firm rivals Rangers moved top of the league with a 2-1 away win to St Johnstone but the shot-shy Celtic strikers could not find a way past a well-organised Motherwell defence.

The result means that the Hoops have won just two of the seven games played at Celtic Park in all competitions so far this season.

Along with the draw against Motherwell the Bhoys have dropped points to Dundee United, lost to Arsenal and Dynamo Moscow in the Champions League and needed a last-minute winner to see off Hearts.

Celtic face German giants Hamburg at Parkhead on Thursday as they attempt to kick-start their Europa League campaign but Mowbray shrugged off suggestions of a crisis in confidence at home.

“You can massage the stats all you want. I think we have drawn against Dundee United and now Motherwell,” Mowbray said.

“I’m not interested in Arsenal at home in the Champions League or Moscow. You can throw stats at me all you want but our league form is fine.

“It’s the first time we’ve failed to score a goal in the league this season. I defy anyone to say there was a lack of effort and lack of determination about the way the team went about the job.

“If we had scored two of our 15 efforts on goal we would have been sitting here saying job done, let’s move on to next week.

“But we missed them so we are disappointed and frustrated. The centre-halves have kept a clean sheet today after a little bit of flak they have taken in recent weeks so the strikers might score a hatful next week.”

Rangers had to come back from a goal down at St Johnstone after falling behind to a 17th-minute strike from Collin Samuel and Gers boss Walter Smith praised his opponents’ industriousness.

“We were always going to have to work hard for a win today and St Johnstone made us do that,” he said.

“In spells they played well and so did we play well in spells.

“Although St Johnstone had possession of the ball at times, there weren’t that many opportunities for either side.”

The champions hauled themselves level shortly before half-time through Kris Boyd before Bosnian defender Sasa Papac secured all three points with a fine curling shot in the 83rd minute.

“It was a good finish for a full-back, getting himself into that position,” said Smith. “Last season and this season Sasa Papac has shown he is capable of getting forward.

“That’s back-to-back wins for us and that is something we have struggled to do this season and hopefully we can keep it going.

“We’re struggling to find consistency of performance but the signs are getting better with each game.”

GLASGOW (AFP)

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Celtic held in Euro grudge match as Everton, Fulham win

October 2, 2009


Celtic’s Europa League ambitions suffered another blow on Thursday when they were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Rapid Vienna in a match which brought back uncomfortable, ugly memories.

Celtic, who had lost their opening Group C match at Hapoel Tel Aviv, slipped behind after just three minutes at Parkhead when a mistake by Stephen McManus gifted Nikica Jelavic a goal.

Australia’s Scott McDonald levelled in the 20th minute but Celtic could not find the winner as the Scottish giants slumped to the foot of the table following Hamburg’s 4-2 win over Hapoel Tel-Aviv.

Twenty-five years ago, Celtic and Rapid clashed in the Cup Winners’ Cup. Rapid won 3-1 at home before Celtic took a 3-0 lead in the second leg.

But Rapid player Rudi Weinhofer collapsed to the ground, claiming to have been hit by a missile thrown from the terraces before UEFA ordered a third game to be played.

Current Rapid boss Peter Pacult scored the only goal of the match which was played at Old Trafford to take his side through to the next round.

“I think we did enough to get the three points over the 90 minutes,” said Celtic manager Tony Mowbray.

“And yet, in the last three (home) games, we’ve shot ourselves in the foot.”

Meanwhile, Everton resisted a valiant effort by BATE Borisov to leave Belarus with a 2-1 win which put them top of Group I with six points while English Premier League rivals Fulham top Group E after a 1-0 win over Basel.

Everton were a goal down by the 16th minute in Minsk as Dmitri Likhtarovich pounced on a loose ball 35 metres out and smashed it into the top corner past Tim Howard.

Everton equalised through Marouane Fellaini in the 68th minute before Tim Cahill grabbed the winner 10 minutes later.

“It was a really pleasing result considering the number of players who were not available,” said Everton boss David Moyes, whose squad was missing 10 first-teamers.

“We were resilient and that allowed us to get the victory. They scored an excellent goal but we regrouped and managed to get the goals we needed.”

Danny Murphy struck the only goal in the 57th minute at Craven Cottage for Fulham converting a fine pass from Andrew Johnson.

Elsewhere, Lazio beat Levski Sofia 4-0 in Bulgaria.

Brazilian midfielder Matuzalem opened the scoring in the 22nd minute and by half-time the visitors had doubled their advantage thanks to Italian striker Mauro Zarate.

Lazio scored goals in the 67th and 73 minutes through Mourad Meghni and Tommaso Rocchi.

FC Salzburg punched above their weight to beat tricky Spaniards Villarreal 2-0 while Ukrainians Shakhtar Donetsk thumped Partizan Belgrade of Serbia 4-1.

AEK Athens, PSV Eindhoven and Werder Bremen also won at home.

PARIS (AFP)

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Bari claim Donati deal

August 28, 2009


Serie A outfit Bari claim they have reached an agreement with Scottish giants Celtic regarding Italian midfielder Massimo Donati.

The Italian midfielder has spent the last two years at Parkhead, but now looks set to head back to his homeland.

Donati began his career at Atalanta, before moving on to AC Milan in 2001, and struggled to make an impact at the Giuseppe Meazza, though, and was often sent out on loan, taking in spells at Parma, Torino, Sampdoria, Messina and back at Atalanta.

The 28-year-old then moved to Scotland in 2007 and helped Celtic to the SPL title in his first season at Parkhead.

Donati soon fell out of favour under Gordon Strachan, though, and was tipped to be on the move during the 2009 January transfer window.

He ultimately remained with the Hoops and was brought back into the first-team fold on a regular basis by new boss Tony Mowbray.

However, Celtic have accepted an approach from Bari for his services and he is expected to be on his way back to Italy before the summer window slams shut.

“Celtic have accepted Bari’s offer for the transfer of midfielder Massimo Donati,” read a statement released by Bari.

“The contract formalities will be completed on Friday.

“The player has agreed a four-year deal and he is expected in Bari on Monday.”

Abhimanyu Rajput

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