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)

Tags: Aberdeen, Artur Boruc, bitter rivals, Cameron Bell, captain Robbie Keane, celtic supporters, chris maguire, diomansy kamara, Dundee, dundee united, four minutes, Garry Hay, gordon strachan, hoops, Jamie Hamill, jim jefferies, jimmy calderwood, Liam Kelly, loan signings, meaningful involvement, Mehdi Taouil, predecessor, republic of ireland, Robbie Keane, scotland, Scottish Premier League, simon ford, Sung-Yeung, title challenge, tony mowbray, tottenham hotspur, transfer deadline, wee bit

Michel to get time to settle at Birmingham

January 12, 2010

Miguel Marcos Michel, the Spanish midfielder who has become Birmingham’s first signing since Carson Yeung’s takeover of the club, will not be rushed into Premier League action, Blues boss Alex McLeish has signalled.

Michel, 24, who completed a three-million-pound transfer from Sporting Gijon on Monday, faces a battle to establish himself in a midfield in which experienced pair Barry Ferguson and Lee Bowyer have been outstanding in Birmingham’s 13-match unbeaten run.

And McLeish believes his newest recruit will need time to settle into English life and football.

“Sometimes it’s not easy for a player, especially coming from a foreign country, to come in and hit the ground running,” the former Scotland boss said.

“He’ll need time to get to know his team-mates and see the sort of demands we ask from players in training.

“We can also see if we can add a wee bit to his game and improve him all round as a player.

“But the bonus is that, because we’re doing so well, he has got additional time to settle.”

McLeish first attempted to sign Michel before the start of the season and he was relieved that Yeung’s financial backing finally made the deal possible.

“I’m very pleased he’s signed as I’ve been tracking him for over a year,” the Scot added. “I’ve added a player who is unfazed in taking the ball in any company.

“He’s played at the Bernabeu and the Nou Camp and has acquitted himself well, so he’s a technical player who can definitely strengthen the squad.

“He has good quality, is only 24, has got good legs and is a player for now but also the future.”

Stoke have agreed to loan former captain Andy Griffin to Championship club Reading until the end of the season. Griffin, 30, has made only three appearances for Stoke this season, all of them in the League Cup.

“There is a lot of competition for places in the squad and Andy is obviously desperate to play first team football,” said Potters boss Tony Pulis. “A move to Reading is a great opportunity for him to go out and play regularly in the Championship.”

Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill meanwhile has assured Nicky Shorey, the former England full-back who is thriving on loan at Nottingham Forest, that he is not planning to off-load him permanently.

O’Neill said: “Selling Nicky is not something that I am looking to do at this minute and nothing concrete has developed. If there was an offer, I would sit down with Nicky and his agent to discuss it but I am not actively seeking (to sell him).”

Shorey was loaned to Forest after losing his place in the Villa line-up to summer signing Stephen Warnock but O’Neill believes the defender may yet live up to his early promise.

“I think going forward he has done very well and if he tightens up his game defensively, he has loads to offer,” the Villa manager added.

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: alex mcleish, Andy, andy griffin, barry ferguson, bernabeu, Birmingham, captain andy, captain Andy Griffin, carson yeung, England, Lee Bowyer, london, Martin O'Neill, match, midfield, midfielder, Miguel Marcos Michel, Neill, Nottingham, nou camp, potters, premier league, recruit, Scot, scotland, sporting gijon, stephen warnock, team football, team mates, wee bit

Saint Mirren sign Steven Thomson

December 31, 2008

PAISLEY (SW) – Scottish Premier League side Saint Mirren have signed midfielder Steven Thomson, who currently plays for English League One outfit Brighton & Hove Albion.

"He will bring a wee bit more competitiveness into the midfield area as well as bringing a fresh face into the squad," said manager Gus MacPherson.

The 30-year-old, born in Glasgow, began his career at the age of 16 at Crystal Palace, where he would spend the next nine years. After two years at Petersborough, he eventually ended up at Falkirk in 2005. Last year, the player returned to England to join Brighton.

Thomson is expected to remain at Saint Mirren until the summer of 2011.

Written by: Jonathan Roorda