However, whether this partnership will be a fixture remains to be seen given Van Dijk\u2019s very public desire to move to the Barclays Premier League and it could be that fellow new signing Saidy Janko, who will complete his move from Manchester United today, will be utilised in a central position.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n![\"Image](\"https:\/\/encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com\/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQzgv_uuZoo7E0jvUR6tRR1mScVCPXWugQEPZoPTOoh0YzKO8s\")
<\/p>\n
Anyway, back to the positive stuff….<\/p>\n
Gary Mackay Steven took three minutes to signal his intent for the season when he notched the first goal, and it was the laughing cavalier himself who forced the error that led to the own goal which completed the scoring.<\/p>\n
The pace of the Celts was too much for the Second division Dutch side, who resorted to a few tasty tackles, but even Derk Boerrigter came through the game without having to call in at the new hospital on the way home, so all’s well that ends well.<\/p>\n
The team sheet, which was altered substantially during the game, read;<\/p>\n
CELTIC (4-2-3-1) Fasan; Lustig (Fisher 40), Boyata (O\u2019Connell 60), van Dijk (Findlay 60), Tierney (Waters 60); Henderson (Lindsay 60), Rogic (Thomson 60), Mackay-Steven (Boerrigter 60\u2019), Donnelly (Duffy 60), Armstrong (Nesbitt 40, McManus 82), Scepovic (McMullan 60)<\/p>\n
Not used: Hazard.<\/p>\n
The man not used is keeper Conor Hazard, and so that he doesn’t feel left out, here’s a picture of him during a Down Milk Cup match, where he saved two penalties during a shoot out.<\/p>\n
Which must have taken some concentration. ( not that sort of shoot out, you idiot-Ed )<\/p>\n
\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.downmilkcup.com\/images\/2012\/j_4_a.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\u00a0A few debuts were handed out, and a few old faces got a run out to either show Deila what they are capable, or, more likely, impress any watching scouts who need to fill space in their treatment rooms or benches.<\/p>\n
Afterwards, Ronny was all smiles as he looked back on the game;<\/p>\n
” It was good to get a game The boys have trained since last Tuesday so they needed a game.<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cThere was some good play, especially in the first half and some good individual performances as well.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\nOne player in particular stood out for the Norwegian, the Australian enigma ( can I say that word ? ) Tom Rogic;<\/p>\n
Ronny said :<\/p>\n
\u201cHe’s a great player and a great person,He works really hard and has been very unlucky with injuries in the last year.<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cNow we have control over his body and you can see what kind of player he is. There’s a reason why he got brought to Celtic and he’s very hungry to show what is in him.<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cToday he played excellent and you can see he’s so good at scanning and getting his touch forward.<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cHe looked very quick today as well and his footwork is getting better every day. He’s going to improve with more training.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\nOver in Australia, they are even more pleased that Rogic is back, so maybe he really is their golden boy;<\/p>\n
Celtic boss hails ‘excellent’ Rogic after friendly win<\/h1>\n
![\"Embedded](\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/CI5DUZ0WUAA6fCn.png\")
<\/p>\n
Celtic manager Ronny Deila has singled out Socceroo Tom Rogic for special praise after the Hoops\u2019 opening pre-season friendly win on Thursday (AEST).<\/em><\/div>\n\n
Rogic caught the eye in a superb 60-minute outing as Celtic ran out comfortable 2-0 winners against FC Den Bosch.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\nWell, it’s good to see him back.
\n<\/span><\/p>\nThen there was new man Deydrick Boyata, where Ronny saw pretty much what he expected to see;<\/p>\n
He plays with calmness and you see he has a very good understanding of the game.\u00a0He’s good in the air and he’s going to be a good signing for us,<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\u00a0 Boyata himself \u00a0seemed to enjoy his first start;<\/p>\n
\u201cI was happy to win the first game. It was hard at the beginning, but I thought we played well. I thought we won with something to spare. We have worked a lot this week on how the team will play and I think I got a lot of information at once. The way we play suits me.<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cI think I can deal with it. I don\u2019t think it will be difficult. I like the way we play, so that makes it easier.<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cMy partnership with Virgil is good. We have still to play a lot of games, but the first match went well. We will analyse the game to see what we can do better.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n![\"Dedryck](\"http:\/\/www.eveningtimes.co.uk\/resources\/images\/3952282.jpg?htype=0&display=1&type=mc3\")
<\/p>\n
This is an interesting snap, taken from the Evening times. Both central defenders are focusing on the same thing. Quite possibly a first in the history of Celtic Football Club.<\/p>\n
Unless it’s the photographer.<\/p>\n
Those already mentioned apart, the other debutants, Luke Donnelly and Leo Fasan were given a chance to show what they could do, and whilst neither stood out, what they did do is show that they can fit comfortably into the system that has been drilled into all the players at Celtic from the kids teams through to the first team. Again, it’s a sign that the foundations are in place and now we can start building on top of them.<\/p>\n
Which leads us to the next piece of the structure, new signing Saidy Janko. He has joined on a four year contract after failing to break into the Manchester United first team, and now he must try to break into the Celtic one instead.<\/p>\n
Does he think he can do it ?<\/p>\n
![\"New](\"http:\/\/i1.dailyrecord.co.uk\/incoming\/article5986016.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615\/JS67315788.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\u00a0Ronny has thrown down the gauntlet;<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cSaidy is a young player we want to develop.<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cHe\u2019s a talented full-back. Saidy has to show himself in training like everyone else but the road to the first team is there if he shows himself to be the best.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\u00a0What hasn’t received the publicity that it should have done is that this time, unlike with Jason Denaayer, Celtic have bought the player. Ronny was criticised last year when he said he diodn’t want to develop players for other clubs, and then promptly went on to develop Denaayer for Manchester City, it has turned out very well for him in the long run.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Having elevated Denaayer from Man City reserve to Belgian international within a season, other players, lurking on the fringes of other clubs, have noticed, and Janko, as well as Boyata will see that if they do their bit, they will progress. And fair play to the club, because it may well be now a condition of taking a player on that they sign permanently.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Remember, these players are not getting a game due to a lack of ability, it’s due to a lack of opportunities, which is entirely different. English clubs want a ready made solution to problems, and don’t seem to hang around trying to solve it themselves. It’s far easier to dip into the cash box to find what you need. Often it seems they spend on players just for the sake if it, probably to reduce tax bills or something, and it’s the player who suffers.<\/p>\n
\u00a0If the reaction of a few Manchester United supporters on twitter is anything to go by, we might have found our own “Denaayer “<\/p>\n