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Tuesday 24th February 2004
14.00
Sutton concedes England days are over.
Celtic striker Chris Sutton has conceded he has no chance of playing for England.
Sven-Goran Eriksson had Hoops team-mate Alan Thompson watched against Dundee United and that led to speculation that Sutton could also be in line for an international call-up.
But neither player was included in the squad for the friendly against Portugal and Sutton admits their chance has gone.
He told the Daily Record: "I've been playing for 14 years so England have had ample time to look at me.
"They clearly don't fancy me and I don't feel as though I have anything to prove to them.
"I can't be bothered talking about it anymore to be honest. I'm getting ready to have a good holiday with my family in the summer.
"They sent someone up to watch Thommo against Dundee United 10 days ago. Now he knows his chance has gone as well.
"I don't know what the problem is. There is a bit of arrogance down there but Celtic know they are a good side."
Monday 23rd February 2004
16.00
Maloney blow sours U21s' win
Stephen Sullivan
Monday February 23, 2003,
Scottish Premier League Under-21s,
Excelsior Stadium
CELTIC… 4
Smith 9, McGeady 15, Beattie 66, Quinn 89
PARTICK THISTLE… 0
Celtic’s unstoppable under-21s followed in the first team’s footsteps on
Monday by preserving their unbeaten league status, but the latest in a
succession of emphatic victories was overshadowed by a serious injury to
Shaun Maloney.
The match was just five minutes old when the bustling little striker was
felled, fairly, by Partick Thistle’s Edward Forrest as he attempted to
reach a reverse pass from Jamie Smith at the right hand edge of the
area.
At the time, it appeared an innocuous enough challenge, but the frantic
gesturing of both Forrest and Maloney’s own team-mates immediately
betrayed the severity of the damage inflicted. Indeed, there was
complete silence inside the Excelsior Stadium as the youngster, plainly
in some distress, was stretchered from the field to receive medical
attention.
It was to Celtic’s credit that they recovered from this early setback to
claim victory, with goals from Smith – moved up front in place of his
injured team-mate – Aiden McGeady and Craig Beattie consolidating Kenny
McDowall’s side’s position at the league’s summit.
Smith was the first to strike, swivelling to volley home left-footed in
nine minutes following a terrific run and cross from Ross Wallace on the
left. It was a lead that Thistle, for whom Jorge Cadete played the full
match, never looked capable of clawing back, and Celtic could easily
have stretched further in front just a few minutes later.
On that occasion, it was to Craig Beattie that the chance fell, but
having been released by a magnificent through ball from Ulrik Laursen,
the striker spurned the opportunity by checking back inside when a first
time shot appeared the better option.
Yet, with just over a quarter-of-an-hour played, Celtic did claim a
second goal, and a stunning one at that. McGeady scored it, with the
skilful youngster – who was a source of constant torment to the Thistle
defence - twisting his hapless marker inside out before lashing an
unstoppable left-foot shot beyond Jamie Langfield from 25 yards.
It was a fantastic goal from a player very much in the mood and, with
Celtic now toying with their visitors, McGeady again went close midway
through the half, drifting in from the left before testing Langfield’s
reflexes with a stinging right-foot drive. Three minutes before the
break, McGeady was at it once again, this time dazzling the Jags’
defence with some mesmerising wingplay on the right before setting up
Wallace for a well-struck volley, agilely tipped over by Langfield.
Cadete, meanwhile, appeared either unfit, disinterested or both, and as
a result found himself in the back pocket of the composed Paul Lawson
throughout the entire 90 minutes.
Yet the former Hoops striker was just one of 11 Thistle players
outclassed by their Celtic counterparts, and it was no surprise when the
home side stretched further in front 20 minutes into the second half.
Smith, advancing menacingly from midfield, created the chance with a
superb dinked pass in behind the Thistle defence, and there was Beattie,
sneaking in on his marker’s blind side to stroke the ball home.
And, even then, Thistle’s misery wasn’t yet over.
The impressive Rocco Quinn even found time to complete the rout with a
well-taken fourth after referee Gary Cheyne had chosen to ignore
Beattie’s seemingly legitimate claims for a penalty.
A fine victory then, and yet all thoughts at the final whistle were for
Maloney.
CELTIC (3-5-2): Marshall; Lawson, Valgaeren, Laursen; Sylla, Smith,
Lambert (Grant 74), McGeady (Arbuckle 80), Wallace; Beattie, Maloney
(Quinn 8)
Subs: McGovern, Low
PARTICK THISTLE (4-4-2): Langfield, Wilson (Panther 46), Forrest,
Chiarini, Kaczan; Gibson (Waddell 78), Howie, English, Strachan;
McLaughlin, Cadete
Subs: Pinkowski, Boyle, McBride
Monday 23rd February 2004
14.30
Celtic v FK Teplice live on Setanta.
ARMCHAIR fans who want to see
Celtic's Uefa Cup third round tie against FK
Teplice on Thursday will have to fork out £7.99.
Celtic TV have exclusive rights to show the game live, and will broadcast it
on one of Setanta's stations, which can be found by tuning into digital
channel 435.
The programme will begin half an hour before the 7.45 kick off, and former
Hoops skipper Tom Boyd has been lined up as one of the studio guests.
Celtic TV also hope to include midfield star Neil Lennon, who is suspended
for both of the ties against Teplice, in their pundit line-up.
The second leg of the tie, which takes place in the Czech Republic a week on
Wednesday with a 5pm UK kick-off time, will be screened live by the BBC.
Monday 23rd February 2004
14.30
Martin O'Neill speculation continues.
Hard on the heels of the team's record breaking 24th victory in a row the bongo drums are again beating on when Martin O'Neill will be leaving the club.
The speculation has started again due to Liverpool being knocked out of the FA Cup yesterday afternoon by Portsmouth, there's also reports on some websites that a deal has already been done that will see the hoops boss take over Tottenham at the start of next season.
Martin O'Neill I'm sure has heard it all before and the only thing on his mind right now will be the preparation for Thursday night's UEFA Cup tie against FK Teplice.
Saturday 21st February 2004
20.30
FK Teplice draw at home.
Celtic UEFA cup opponents FK Teplice failed to cash in on home advantage this afternoon when they were held to a goalless draw by Sigma Olomouc.
This is the second game FK Teplice have played since returning from their winter break and so far 180 minutes of football have failed to produce a goal for the Czech cup winners.
Celtic supporters will be hoping that their goal drought continues on Thursday night at Celtic Park when we take them on in the UEFA Cup 3rd round 1st leg match.
Saturday 21st February 2004
20.25
Today's SPL Results
Aberdeen 2 Dunfermline 0
Dundee 1 Livingston 0
Hearts 3 Dundee United 1
Motherwell 1 Kilmarnock 0
Rangers 3 Hibs 0
Friday 20th February 2004
08.30
Celtic 90 minutes away from new record.
VICTORY over Partick Thistle on Sunday will extend Celtic's Scottish Premier
League winning streak to 24 matches, surpassing the record Martin O'Neill's men
now share with the 1963-64 Morton side.
Setting records is virtually all that remains for Celtic this season – at least
in the league, where their unmatchable form has allowed them to open up a
13-point lead over champions Rangers.
Celtic's dominance in a season which has seen their Glasgow rivals beset by financial and injury problems has inevitably fuelled concerns about Scottish soccer's lack of strength in depth.
But Celtic skipper Paul Lambert believes comment along those lines fails to recognise the genuine quality in the squad that O'Neill's guided to last season's UEFA Cup final, the club's first European final since 1970.
"I think you judge it on European terms and this is the only team who have taken Celtic to a major European final since that era," said Lambert. "You can't underestimate how big that is.
"We came within a whisker of making the last 16 of the Champions League this season and I don't think anyone has outplayed us in that competition, with the exception of the away game against Porto in our first season's involvement.
"I do think it is the best Celtic squad for many, many years. You are always judged on your successes and especially on what you do in Europe. That's where you make your name.
"It's nice doing it domestically but to achieve what we did in Europe last season was phenomenal.
"The last time a Celtic side got to a European final was 34 years ago and what the current bunch of guys in the dressing room have achieved is really unbelieveable."
But few would bet against Celtic restoring their advantage and entertaining the record books 24 hours later.
Thursday 19th February 2004
15.27
Fixture changes announced
Celtic will play Dundee at Dens Park on St Patrick's Day Wednesday 17th March 2004, the match kicks off at 7.45 pm and will be broadcast live by BBC Scotland.
Our game the following Sunday on Sunday 21st March 2004 at Easter Road against Hibs has now been moved to a 1.05pm kick again for broadcast by BBC Scotland.
This of course is followed up by yet another away Sunday fixture when on Sunday 28th March 2004 we face Rangers in the last Old Firm game of the season, this one has a 12.30pm kick off again being televised live by BBC Scotland.
Three away fixtures on the bounce, the suits at the SPL are definitely going out of there way to make it easy for us to win the championship away from Celtic Park.
Wednesday 18th February 2004
15.30
FK TEPLICE v CELTIC live on the Beeb
The away leg of Celtic's UEFA Cup second round tie against Teplice of
the Czech Republic will be broadcast live by BBC Scotland.
The first leg takes place Thursday evening at Celtic Park.
Wednesday 18th February 2004
09.30
No go for Jorge.
Ex Celt Jorge Cadete did not feature in the proposed trial match for Raith Rovers last night due to rule stating that the player must be under contract before playing in such a game. He is now being set up to play in a bounce game for Partick Thistle sometime this week, he will not however be in line to face his former club this coming weekend.
Tuesday 17th February 2004
07.30
Jorge Cadete to turn out for Raith Rovers
Raith Rovers are ready to hand former Celtic striker Jorge Cadete a return to Scottish football.
The 35-year-old former Portuguese international trained with Rovers yesterday and will feature in this evening’s Reserve League Cup semi-final against St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park if the necessary clearance can be obtained in time.
Cadete was a major success in the 1996-7 season with Celtic, netting 38 times in 44 appearances after his £400,000 move from Sporting Lisbon.
However, a contractual dispute with the Hoops brought about his departure from Parkhead.
Mozambique-born Cadete subsequently returned to Portugal with Benfica before embarking on a short stint with Bradford in the English Premiership.
Of late, the free agent has made more headlines off the park than on it, having taken part in a Portuguese version of the reality TV show Big Brother.
However, this time it will be Raith boss Antonio Calderon who decides whether he stays or goes.
Sunday 15th February 2004
18.30
Celtic's UEFA opponents lose.
FK Teplice went down by 1-0 earlier today in the Czech League, they lost to Pribram, the goal coming in the 85th minute through Zemlik.
Sunday 15th February 2004
16.45
FK Teplice in action today.
Celtic's UEFA cup opponents are back in action today after their winter break, they are away to Pribram who currenlty sit 5th from bottom of the Czech League with 18 points from 16 games. FK Teplice last played on 30th November 2003. FK Teplice sit in 9th position with 21 points from 16 games.
Saturday 14th February 2004
08.35
Another Aussie with personal problems?
What is it with Celtic and Aussie players? They're no sooner in the door and then the personal problems kick in. Surely you would have though that we learned our lesson with our previous badge kissing Aussie a certain Mr Viduka
