“So to get some days off and reflect on where we are and where the road is going has been nice and I’m looking forward to the games now.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cWhen you are so involved with matches all the time, it\u2019s hard to see the whole picture, there was a lot of reflection and a chance to plot the way forward so that we can look for improvement and good results.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t do everything at once but things have been very good. There are things that we\u2019ve done well and there are things that can be done better.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cWe have some good signings and I\u2019m very happy about that. We got what we wanted and that\u2019s fantastic.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0Or so he told the official website. Or he was told to tell the official website. Remember , he admitted to having never seen Scepovic, so I guess he had told Lawwell to “surprise him ” with a striker.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Dundee United game is what we want to look like but we can still improve from their there. I liked a lot of things from that game and we need to take the positives from it and carry them forward.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHopefully Stefan and John can bring a lot of goals but they each have different strengths. Stefan is a penalty box player and is good at heading the ball from crosses, while John is a goalscorer, a real No9. They will add to the other qualities that we have and it is good to have that option and the ability to combine players.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not about simply putting the players in, we have to get them fit and get them playing time. We also have to get them to know our system and how we want to play but I think you could see some of our new players this Saturday.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n One of our old players, perhaps the most important one, Scott Brown, may feature at some point in the game. He’s a few weeks ahead of schedule and will be raring to go as well. He’s been out since the pre-season touring, and at least one of the first team failed to recognise him at training;<\/p>\n Charlie Mulgrew, the scapegoat on the field for many will be out of action for a while. When things weren’t going right on the pitch, Mulgrew may not have put in his beat performances, but he never tried to hide, and deserves respect for that.<\/p>\n His performance for Scotland, where he picked up the leg injury, was much more relaxed and assured compared to his club outings, and maybe the time off will allow him to get back to his reliable best.<\/p>\n Virgil van Dijk is also expected tostart. Apparently he’s put his toys back into the pram, and never really wanted to join Arsenal anyway. Ronny Deila’s happy enough with him , anyway;<\/p>\n \u201cI have no concerns about his commitment. I can honestly say I\u2019m really happy about his situation and have no concerns.<\/em><\/p>\n “I can see his body language and he is happy. Now he is focused on getting good results with Celtic and getting better.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cI hope the supporters accept that as well. I understand they were not happy he didn\u2019t play at Dundee, but that was my decision. Virgil was not 100 per cent in his head. But now he is.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHe has said to me that he is so grateful to be at this club. Without the chance to play for Celtic, he wouldn\u2019t be where he is today.<\/em><\/p>\n “He saw an opportunity to leave, but then he didn\u2019t go. He knows what he has here and he is looking forward to the rest of the season.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s very happy now. He\u2019s just become a dad and he\u2019s been with his national team for the first time.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHe has to understand how important he is. He is such an unbelievably good player for us.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThere was interest in him, but it was not even close to what we are thinking about.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n ( So, the real reason he’s still here is no-one matched the price we wanted… )<\/p>\n \u201cWe were not interested in selling him anyway. He is one of the players we are going to build a new team around.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Until January. Thats another Ronnyism that will come back and bite him later on.<\/p>\n Mind you, \u00a0with Charlie Mulgrew out, the support needs a new scapegoat, so if we don’t secure our first win in four tomorrow, van Dijk is getting it. Especially if some of it is his fault, but that won’t really matter.<\/p>\n The early kick off means an early start again for the Lennon CSC, and the minibus will be on the road about an hour before we go to bed on Friday night, and at the time of writing there are still a couple of seats available. Especially if you can drive and own a minibus.<\/p>\n If you fancy a day of debauchery and drink let me know. I’ll come with you instead of going to the game.<\/p>\n It’ll be strange crossing the border for what might be the last time without armed guards searching us, or passports being required. Still, if that means we can buy duty free beer and fags, I’m all for it.<\/p>\n Next week, of course, Scotland gets to say whether or not it wants to break away from the old Empire, who of course would provide the border guards should such a move take place.<\/p>\n![\"Celtic](\"http:\/\/www.scotsman.com\/webimage\/1.3539341.1410508621!\/image\/1119042784.jpg_gen\/derivatives\/articleImgDeriv_628px\/1119042784.jpg\")
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