Er, thanks for that, John. Except thats not what he said. The headline is from the Daily Mail, and this quote from the Evening Times. Thats because in the text of the Mail article, Collins doesn’t say anything about players coming in.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
He said: “It is vitally important that we qualify. If we are looking for players in January and next summer, they will want to play in Europe.<\/em><\/p>\n “Good players want to be involved in the Champions League and Europa League. They don’t just want to play domestic football. So it is really important that we qualify.<\/em><\/p>\n “Is it our biggest selling point? Yeah, it’s very difficult to get top players if you are not in Europe.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n More a statement of the obvious than anything else.<\/p>\n Looking ahead to tomorrows game, Collins continued;<\/p>\n \u00a0“Salzburg are a good team. They play some high tempo football and love to press.<\/em><\/p>\n “They are probably one of the best – if not the best – pressing team in Europe.<\/em><\/p>\n “They don’t give you a second on the ball and are always looking to pass forward It will be a new challenge for us.<\/em><\/p>\n “It’s something we don’t get in Scotland. Most teams sit off us here, so it is the exact opposite.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Actually, they don’t. Most teams think they have a shot against us now, so they tend to have a go.<\/p>\n \u2018If you dwell on the ball against teams like that they\u2019ll take it off you in dangerous positions.<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018It should be a great game for us and that\u2019s what we want \u2014 to learn and develop and keep stretching ourselves. We know we\u2019re going to have to have a top performance to get a result. An average performance won\u2019t get a result.\u2019\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em>This urgency to get rid of the ball, and not dwell on it should really be combined with the concept of looking up to see where you are passing it to. Something which has eluded a number of players on a number of occasions this season.<\/p>\n \u00a0Anyone who has seen Celtic this season will have done so through their fingers when it comes to some of the passing. Its been reckless. Too many passes have gone astray, and worse, too many have put the recipient in a no win situation where he either cannot reach the ball, or will be booked for trying to.<\/p>\n \u00a0Instead of screaming at his charges to pass, maybe they should be working on awareness. Aware of where their team mates are, and where the opposition is.<\/p>\n \u00a0Collins also played down rumours of taking the Scotland Develpment job, with Dutchman Mark Wotte, who was mutually consented by the SFA, backing him for the job;<\/p>\n “It’s nice of Mark Wotte to say that but I’m the Celtic assistant manager,” he said. “I’m very, very happy here and it wouldn’t interest me at this stage.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Oh, well.<\/p>\n \u00a0Jason Denaayer, who picked up an ankle knock at the weekend, should be okay to play tonight, and he’s somewhat more optimistic about Celtics prospects in the Europa League than say, someone who had watched the games;<\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cI didn\u2019t touch the trophy \u2013 it is a superstition. Everybody told me \u2018don\u2019t touch the trophy, that is bad luck\u2019.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cSo I didn\u2019t touch it. I wanted to but I couldn\u2019t. Nobody did.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIt is not impossible for us to win it but we will need to play well, 100 per cent every game because there are some very good teams in it and in the next round some more very good teams will drop down from the Champions League.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWhen you play Europa League you know it is going to be difficult but you just need to keep playing and not think about it. When you think about it too much you can get your head down. Even if a match is going to be difficult you have to prepare the same way.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Denaayer also spoke of Red Bulls forwards, Massimo Bruno and the feared Jonathan Soriano;<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI know him (<\/em> Bruno ) from the Belgium international set-up. I have played two games with him with the Under-21s but he is a very good player.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHe is an excellent dribbler and very fast so if you are playing against him you have to be very careful. He didn\u2019t play in Salzburg, he was on the bench.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWe haven\u2019t spoken yet but I will send him some text messages just to say good luck.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cSoriano is a player with a lot of experience and is different from the other attackers.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHe isn\u2019t really fast or really strong but he is very intelligent.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHe is the player we need to be most concerned with because he can change the game like this. With every pass, every attack.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cBefore the game, the defenders have to be aware of him because he is their most important player.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0Denaayer does seem to be able to step up a level when he needs to. Virgil van Dijk, when he’s concentrating fully, also has that capability. We just need Emilio Izaguerre and Adam Matthews-likely to start in place of Mikael Lustig-to remember they are defenders first and foremost.<\/p>\n From a supporters point of view, tomorrow is perhaps the first chance we have to fill the ground, to bring back the thunder, and to paraphrase a reply from Doc to yesterdays Diary, make sure that Celtic Park on european nights isn’t just something for people to add to their bucket list.<\/p>\n \u00a0The interweb came alive with stories that John Guidetti is happy with what Celtic can offer, and will sign up permanently. If this is the case, it should be announced before the game. Although the Swede cannot feature, it will prove a timely boost for the fans, and show that perhaps Celtic do have plans to build a team which can approach the UCL next year, if not with confidence, but at least with optimism.<\/p>\n \u00a0Kris Commons is also pondering over a new offer, and Leicester City, according to the Express, are ready to swoop if he declines;<\/p>\n An exclusive in the Express usually means that all the other papers think its too ridiculous to run with.<\/p>\n But the Foxes will have to push their way in front of Bolton boss Neil Lennon, who is set to table a \u00a3350,000 bid in January.<\/em><\/p>\n Commons, 31, is no closer to agreeing a new deal at Celtic.<\/em><\/p>\n That has alerted newly-promoted sides Leicester and Crystal Palace, who are also interested in the playmaker.<\/em><\/p>\n Lennon has already confirmed his interest and he is keen to team up with Commons at the Macron Stadium.<\/em><\/p>\n Lennon has a close bond with the player. He took him to Celtic from Derby for \u00a3300,000 in 2011, and is confident he can fight off competition from English Premier League clubs.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0If Commons is to go, Bolton would be the most likely destination, where he can link up with his old boss, and probably his bestest buddy Gary Hooper, who is so far out of contention at Norwich these days that they wouldn’t even sell him a season book.<\/p>\n \u00a0And Anthony Stokes. And Adam Matthews. And anyone else you can think of before the MSM come up with it.<\/p>\n \u00a0Celtics reserves forced a credible 1-1 draw in Liverpool last night against Evertons equivalent.<\/p>\n From the Everton website;<\/p>\n \u00a0Backed by over 100 audible fans, the visitors showed no fear and arguably deserved their first-half lead despite a lack of chances from either side.<\/span><\/em> \u00a0Everton would have had more fans at the game, but as is customary in Liverpool before major events the police dropped job advertisements from helicopters to keep the crowds down.<\/p>\n \u00a0Away from Celtic for a moment, and Stewart Regan , the beleagured ( it does mean “clueless” , doesn’t it ? ) SFA chief has gone public on his fears for cash strapped Second Rangers, who have freely admitted they need more money to fulfill their seasons obligations.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/i4.dailyrecord.co.uk\/incoming\/article4696538.ece\/alternates\/s615\/JS51663661.jpg\")
<\/p>\nEXCLUSIVE: Leicester City hunt Celtic star Kris Commons<\/h1>\n
Russell Griffiths<\/a>\u00a0was untroubled by on-target efforts from McMullan and O’Connell in the opening 10 minutes, but he could do nothing about the opener midway through the half.<\/span><\/em>
McMullan’s corner found its way to Thomson, but his shot was blocked and Twardzik flicked in from close range.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n
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