For all the claims about high scoring nans and having no competition domestically, there is a game tonight, possibly unique in europe, where two unbeaten teams go head to head in a top of the table clash.

When you put it like that, it’s quite mouth watering.

Our esteemed media folk claimed that without a strong Rangers, Celtic would stroll to as many as they want to in a row, crowds will drop, tv companies will lose interest and sponsors will walk.

Yet all the while, all that was really needed was for at least one other team to learn the knack of grinding out results against the weaker sides on a regualr basis to make it all interesting again.

With little fuss, Derek McInnes has refashioned his side, tweaked it a little bit and suddenly they are right up there with Celtic.

He’ll be telling his players that they can go three points clear a quarter of the way through the season, and leave Celtic playing catch up. Whether they will have enough belief to take that on board is another matter, but Celtic, tired as they may be, cannot afford to slip up tonight.

The hoops will be without Jozo Simunovic, a phrase now becoming almost as common as “rangers ” have released a statement, and with Tony Ralston and Erik Sviatchenko-remember him ?-also sidelined, it looks like Nir Biton will slot in alongside Dedryck Boyata to see who will concede the Dons penalty.

Manager Rodgers looked up from his Big Book Of Available Centre Halves to praise the work being done by his opposite number..

“We don’t underestimate going up to Pittodrie”, 

“In my time here, I’ve been up twice. They’ve been difficult games for us so I expect the same.”

“We saw it from the outset that they were the closest challengers to Celtic.

“Last season, we played them six times so I was able to get a good look and see the commitment and the qualities in their team.

“Derek McInnes has done an outstanding job.” 

Up in the land of the northern lights and plentiful sheep, dons captain Graeme Shinnie held court on tonights game..

“We are excited and bursting to get going after not having a game at the weekend.

“I’m desperate for the game to come around and I think the whole team is the same. It’s a massive game at Pittodrie under the lights and everyone’s looking forward to the game. There’s no reason why we can’t end their run. We understand the achievements they’ve had. They had a tough week with Bayern Munich, but flipped it round by getting into the final of the Cup so they will be coming here full of confidence.

“We are in good form ourselves, so it has all the makings of a really good game. 

They have had tough games and it could always catch up with them, but we need to make sure we are at the top of our game. We certainly know we can do it when you look to the cup final at the end of last season. Hopefully we can come out on top. It’s a different team we are facing and our starting XI will be different to the cup final. I feel we are strong if not stronger than then especially coming off the back of three wins and three clean sheets. We need to be focussed on doing our job the best we can and see what happens.

“Its only nine games in and although we are level-pegging you don’t get judged at this stage of the season. Just now we are focussed on winning as many games as we can and get as close to them as we can. Games like this offers no better way to lay down some sort of marker.

“You always need to be at the top of your game to beat Celtic.

“I think it’s been a different start to the season where we’ve had some games that we haven’t played well in and won. That’s a testament to the team, but I think the last few games with the clean sheets there’s confidence going into the game.

“Tomorrow is a fresh challenge.

“It’s a different team to the Cup final and we can take a lot of positives out of that game. This is a different challenge for us and one we are all looking forward too. We need to make sure we battle and on top of that we need to have a bit of quality to win the game.

“I’ve played alongside Kenny in midfield for a couple of years now and he’s been different class. He’s a great professional and he will always give his all for the cause and I’m sure is desperate to get the win tomorrow. He is brilliant is training every day. He will work his socks off.” 

The Kenny he refers to is Kenny MacLean, who has been tipped, or bullied,  to join “rangers ” , by the glasgow clubs cheerleaders in the media, which is how they unsettle opponents, and then turn them into diddies, such as Ryan Jack, Lee Wallace and Ian Black, though to be fair Black had a head start.

Oh, and that Templeton fellow.

McInnes, though, is way ahead of them.

” I don’t give a fuck if he stays or goes ! ” 

Well, what he really said was..

“Unfortunately, Kenny McLean has indicated that he is going to leave at the end of the season. I’m totally fine with that. Naturally disappointed, but at the same time grateful that Kenny and his agent have been honest enough to tell us that would be their intention. When we signed Kenny part of the sale was to develop himself into a full Scottish internationalist and be part of a successful side and he’s been part of a strong team. We want him to go out on a high with us hopefully and even get involved with the Scotland squad coming up. We wish Kenny well, but for now his focus is on us and the rest of the season and going out on as much of a high as possible.

“His commitment to us has been clear. His running stats and running has him hands down better than any other player.

“Kenny will have a good future in the game and we are disappointed we won’t get to work with him that bit longer and if we do get an offer in January we may or may not consider it. Having had plenty conversations with him he has loved his time here and still loves it. His focus is on trying to do as well as he can for us. That’s football. One or two of the players last year gave us plenty of warning that was their intention.” 

But I know what he meant.

Celtic will have to be at their best, and that means leaving the B team until Saturday, which would allow key players a chance to rest ahead of the Bayern rematch, a game where a draw would suit everyone…. as it would finalise the positions in the group.

I’m not for a minute suggesting that you should head to the bookies and put money on that, but think about it.

Tonight, then, we should see Gordon, Lustig, Boyata, Tierney, Brown, Armstrong, MacGregor, Sinclair, Roberts and Griffiths.

Though the front line is, as always , subject to whatever whim Rodgers wishes to subject it to.

Elsewhere, a couple of stories caught the eye..

Huddersfield announce departure of David Moss less than five months after they prised him from Celtic

Who ?

Huddersfield Town  have announced the departure of David Moss less than five months after they prised him from Celtic.

Moss was sworn in as Huddersfield’s Head of Football Operations shortly after their promotion to the Premier League, replacing Stuart Webber who had moved to Norwich City.

Oh, that David Moss…

The Yorkshireman had previously spent seven years at Celtic, and was involved in bringing Victor Wanyama and Virgil van Dijk – now both established England top flight stars – to Glasgow.

The Sun reported in June that Moss was ‘lured to quit [Celtic] by the chance to spend [Huddersfield’s] millions’, and the 48-year-old was, according to the Independent, the first to mention Steve Mounié, Town’s £11.5 million record signing, to manager David Wagner. 

But despite Huddersfield’s early success in the Premier League – having recruited 13 players since Moss’s appointment – the club have confirmed in a statement on their official website that they ‘will now begin the search for a new Head of Football Operations’.

Celtic hired Lee Congerton, a long-term ally to manager Brendan Rodgers, as Head of Recruitment three months prior to Moss’s exit.

Five months? What happened there then ?

Another wee story from English regional media..

Why Scottish giants Celtic are heading to Surrey in England tomorrow

Woking FC is the destination for Scottish giants’ development squad 

Woking FC will host the Premier League International Cup fixture between Celtic U23s and Athletic Club Bilbao on Wednesday night.

Competition officials had been searching for an available stadium in the past month and decided that the Cards’ Laithwaite Community Stadium was fit to hold the clash.

It will certainly bring a different flavour to Woking, with Scottish and Spanish supporters from London in particular making the short journey to Surrey. 

Celtic lost their opening game 6-0 to Swansea, which means a result here is crucial.

Swansea…anyone would think they had had a manager who put a development programme in place before leaving…

In the days before Sky sport and BT took over televised football, most of us would tune in to Eurosport for a glimpse at the game in foreign climes.

They have survived the Sky monopoly, albeit only just, perhaps by rebranding as a less tabloid channel. Which is perhaps why you won’t see anything like this, by Desmond Kane of Eurosport in the mainstream..

Passion of Celtic’s award-winning fans remains a thing of unique beauty in sport

Read the whole thing here, it will give you a wee glow..

Celtic fans article

I liked the last few lines…

And now they have an award to go with it. It is one for the club’s fans. And outside of Scotland, it is an accepted wisdom that Celtic’s fans are respectful, travel well, enjoy a party and support their team with a healthy attitude win, lose or draw.

The thought will be enough to make some critics vomit, but Celtic fans being dubbed the world’s best by FIFA is about as surprising as Cristiano Ronaldo winning the gong for the game’s best player. 

Now, one or two of you have friends whose noses are, as the song says, a bright shade of blue, and at this time of year you may be already wondering what to give the man who has nothing.

Well, here it is.

Their Furry Fenian Friend..

Mike Ashley may not be popular with anyone he meets, but he does appear to have a wicked sense of humour.

If its not bad enough that Ashley has popped up to take the piss, the directors are acting as though they’ve been out on it..

Every time they lose an important game, out come the crayons and the onions.

And , of course, the gullibillies lap it all up…

Yeah. That’ll work.

A protest has to be something that will make people sit up and take notice.

“Oh, look, they’re walking away again” may not be the response they are looking for….

We hear they’ve already hired a boat and found somewhere that has around 20,000 leagues they can play in

And if you are wondering where the money came from…

It’s happening again, isn’t it ?

Keep an eye on Phil MacGhiollabhans blog …the man has been right several times before when it comes to that place.

Phil Mac site

But there is someone who has his finger even more firmly on the pulse…

Amazingly, Boyds views on the game are sought after by television, radio and newspapers.

I’m more worried about the guy who spoke out at a Sky meeting and said;

“BT have a weekly Scottish football magazine, and we need to do something similar. I’ve spoken to Kris Boyd and he’s agreed to present it. ” 

You know, in years to come, we’ll look back on this period in Scottish football and laugh.

Alright, laugh even louder.

Yesterday, we showed this image..

And it was me who won..

” Tell you what, Billy, I couldn’t play pool on one of those green tables.” 

Today..