Celtic Diary Monday July 14: Fitba’s Back. But, Is Summer the Right Time ?

The World Cup shuddered to a halt last night when Germany beat Argentina to win the trophy for a fourth time.

No surprise really, 1945 was the last time  the Germans lost and the gold ended up in Argentina.

Even the biggest and most popular tournament in the world  has a kind of monotony about it, and as for watching it as a neutral, well, football isn’t really a game for neutrals.

If you are not in amongst a crowd willing your team on to win, or at the very least in a bar wanting one of them to lose, then its all a little bit artificial.

But thankfully, the piss poor record of Scottish teams in europe just ;lately, means we don’t have to wait long for the real stuff to start.

Celtic face Reykjavik tomorrow night in the Second Round of the Champions League qualifiers, and already theres a little bit of nervousness creeping in, which has already overtaken any excitement that the so-called “Big One ” managed to create in over a month of tedium.

Manager Ronny Deila wants us to hit the ground running….

“It’s important we score a goal in Iceland – as many as possible.

“We want to push the tempo up in the matches as I think it will develop players and get us good results.

“We have to go into the game to try and win it but, of course, we also have to 
defend properly and play with balance.

“We know that when 
we attack we have players 
who can create things on their own.

“We know we can also create chances and goals through good combinations.

“So I’m going into the game with a positive attitude and an offensive way of thinking.” 

 Theres no doubt we have the players to get a result, but these games are not about just ability. They are as much a mental challenge as a physical one, and as Archie MacPherson would often say back in the day when commentating on matches, “we need to keep the heid “

 Deila isn’t taking it likely, and appears to be relishing the challenge. That kind of enthusiasm rubs off on players;

“All our players who are at the World Cup are ready to play in this game. Fraser, Efe and Emilio have all come straight from the World Cup so, of course, they are ready to play,” 

“Everyone is available for this match and we want to put as strong a team as we possibly can on to the pitch. We really want to win but we will need a good performance up in Iceland.” 

“We need to take things step by step,In time we want to raise the tempo of the team but of course the players have to feel safe in what they are doing.

“I think we have a good plan for that. This is going to be the first important game and I think after the two weeks in Austria we have prepared as well as possible.” 

He concedes that the teams experience of these games at this level will be crucial, and although he talks of changing things, there might be a bit more effort tomorrow, buts its unlikely that there will be any real noticable change in the way Celtic approach the match. The boss might not like the idea of playing such an important game in the middle of summer, but his professionalism is showing through.

“I can’t do anything about that. Every minute of the day I try to do the best for the team,” 

“A lot of the players here have been through this before so we have enough knowledge to go through at this stage.

“They are used to winning football games and that is the most important part.

“If we are on top of it then we will have an intensity Reykjavik will struggle with.” 

 James Forrest is already out, Scott Brown won’t play until around Christmas, and now it appears Mikael Lustig is a doubt for the game. He’s been suffering a bit of “discomfort ” with his hips, but Deila is hopeful he’ll be okay.

 Other than that , there doesn’t look like being too many surprises in the line up. The BBC are covering the game, which will show exactly what the difference in budgets is for Scottish football and anyone else they cover.

 From the no expense spared World Cup, to Reykjavik on a Tuesday, probably with Billy Dodds, Pat Nevin, and the sleep inducing Rob MacLean. If the BBC ever want to do a test run on showing adverts, they could try it at half time during this game. It might keep some of us watching.

 What do we know about Reykjavik ?

 Well, they lost to lowly side Thor at the weekend, and that, apparently , was down to the distraction of Tuesday game.

So Atli Sigurjonsson, a midfielder at the club, reckons, anyway;

“Perhaps the thought of playing Celtic has been disrupting our form,I don’t think our form has been too bad – we just let ourselves down in our last game. Although we know it will be tough, we are confident we can give an excellent account of ourselves.” 

 The Daily Record had a wee look around, and happily for them they found that one of the Icelandic side, striker Gary Martin, had previously played for former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan at Middlesborough. Well, not played for, in the true sense of the phrase, but released by. Maybe he had a grudge ?

“Before Southgate was sacked I was always involved in the first-team squad. But my three years of hard work under Southgate counted for nothing when Strachan came in.

“All of a sudden he brought in his own players. He recruited six or seven Scots including Kris Boyd, Barry Robson, Lee Miller and Andy Halliday.

“A lot of the young boys, including myself, ended up leaving while some of the guys Strachan gave five-year contracts to aren’t even in the Boro squad any longer. So my experience under him wasn’t good. 

 Yup.

Anyhoo, he left the north east of England, and ended up at Ujpest Dosza in Hungary, where he worked under Willie McStay;

“They were fantastic to me in Hungary and set me on my way to playing football abroad. Willie took me on loan from Middlesbrough when Strachan took over and I loved working under them.

“They were fantastic one-on-one coaches and they are the reason I’ve continued to play in Europe.

“I’ve found it much easier to go abroad because they gave me that opportunity when I was 19. I can’t speak highly enough of them and I owe them a lot.” 

And, of course, he’s looking forward to playing Celtic, as its a chance to put himself in the shop window…

“It’s amazing to have been drawn against Celtic.

“I’m looking forward to the experience and it’s a real challenge.

“It’s not often you get the opportunity to play against a club like Celtic. To do it in the Champions League makes it even more special.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for us. We think we can give Celtic a real fright. If we play well on the day we can win.

“I’m well aware of Celtic and their players. I follow Scottish football online and I have Sky in my flat in Iceland.

“A good friend of mine Callum Butcher played with Dundee United last season so I watched a lot of games and got a chance to assess the Hoops players. Virgil van Dijk could easily play in the English Premier League he’s so good. Kris Commons is also fantastic. 

 Wow, he reckons one of our players is good enough to play in England! High praise indeed…

I’d love to come back to British football. Last year there was interest in me from Scandinavia but they couldn’t pay what KR wanted.

“I know they’re looking again but my first option would be to come home to the UK. I want to play in Britain.

“Of course I’d consider a move to Scotland. That would be fantastic. I’d love to play there but I’m not sure whether they scout in Iceland.

“Maybe the Celtic game will open a window and scouts in Scotland will consider here.” 

Aye, maybe it will…..

But for now, he wants to make a name for himself, which means he’ll be a selfish forward upon whom moves will break down.

There have been no concrete moves for any of Celtics players yet, but the press are still hopeful. Fraser Forster is still reportedly being watched prior to a bid from Benfica, despite the Portuguese side having several others on their list.

The big keeper, though, gives no indication of wanting away.. despite being forced to wear quite possibly the loudest shirt ever produced for a Celtic team..

“Playing in the Champions League has definitely been good for me in terms of exposure,” Forster told the *Sunday Post. “But it’s been good for all of us and for the club too.

“We’ve all seen how big the Champions League nights are and it would be nice to get back in the group stages but Reykjavik will be a tough away game and we need to play as well as we know we can.”

“One of my goals last season was to try to get into that squad and I was delighted to achieve that, our performances were really good in the tournament and it was just unfortunate we didn’t really get what we deserved out of the games.

“The Euros are now only a couple of years away so I’m already setting my sights on that.” 

 Hopefully, Forster has realised that as long as Ben Foster and Roy Hodgson are both involved in the squad, then he won’t be playing for England. Not even if he suddenly discovered old Roy is actually his father.

 The latest player to be linked with Celtic is Christain Atsu, the Ghanaian winger at Chelsea. He’s been mentioned as a loan move, and to be honest, thats not a path I’d imagine many of us want to start walking down again. I’d much rather see Derk Boerrigter given a run in the team to build up his confidence than pay a fortune in wages to someone who probably won’t give a toss about the club.

No, really, I would.

And Derk is ready to roll….

“I’m getting back fit. It took me more than a year. When I signed for Celtic I started off with an injury. That kept me out for almost a whole year. I never got 100 per cent fit.

“You can’t sprint properly and speed is my greatest weapon.

“It feels bad physically but it is also not nice in your head. That has gone now. Finally, I am able to work hard on it now. It is time for me to step up and get back to the level I used to play at.

“Hopefully, I can show my true 
abilities here at Celtic.

“This feels like a totally different start. It is time to get 100 per cent fit now, to really get into my best shape.

“From there I will be able to give everything and start showing people what I can do on the pitch.”

 Well, wanting Boerrigter to get a run in the team, indeed keep away from injury long enough to get a run in the team, is  maybe taking it a bit too far, but you get the point. If its a wide player we need to bring in, then Gary Mackay Steven is as good a shout as anyone. However, maybe Dylan McGeuoch could play some kind of free role, having already proved he can do a job in the middle as well as out wide.

 Theres good news for Scotlands newest club Second Rangers. There are plans to build the Uks Spaceport north of the border, which will allow for easy travel for thise agents and clubs who put in bids like the £9m one for Nikita Jelavic a couple of years ago, which provided much mirth for those of us who are strictly limited to spending our time on the planet earth.

All that, of course, depends on a No vote at the upcoming referendum, as it appears the Better Together campaign have decided to promise the Scots something instead of just threatening them. Something practical and useful, it seems.

 Henrik Larsson told the BBC “We were shit ” after a nightmare performance in the first leg of a UEFA cup tie against Blackburn. However, Celtic still won the game, and went on to win the return in England as well. Despite Graeme Souness telling the Blackburn players it was “men against boys “

 Standing behind the goal at Ewood that night, I , along with what seemed like about 20,000 other fans crammed into the ground , took a lot of pleasure after the game announcing to the Blackburn boss

” Men against boys my arse “

 Anyone recognise this dapper chap ? Where did we get him from ?