Hoorat! Hooray! It's a Celtic Holiday!

Article by Jim Payne

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Apologies for reminding you of a crummy old Boney M hit from back in the days when Nigel Farage used to dress as a punk rocker so that he could frighten tourists, but Celtic is off to Gran Canaria for a few days holiday. This privilege is afforded few clubs in Britain- but after playing 34 matches already this season I think the team just about deserve a few days in the sun and a couple of glorified kickabouts against PSV Eindhoven and Sparta Prague.

Scottish football used to have had a three week break for top division teams in the closing years of last century and the opening years of this one and I thought was a great idea but the winter break was ditched by season 2004/5. Celtic has read the rule book and has, as they have in the last couple of seasons, been able to postpone a home match in early January so that the team can go on a wee break. There is a suspicion that the break is so that money can be made from the aforementioned kickabouts but I gather that these matches are ‘expenses only’ affairs.

Celtic go into the break a point behind Aberdeen with a game in hand. This is because Celtic’s match with Partick Thistle scheduled for Ne’er Day was postponed as the pitch was waterlogged and with Aberdeen’s winning run in the league being extended following a couple of victories over St Johnstone and Motherwell the Dons are top.

Celtic’s pre-holiday match was against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park. Played on a dreich Monday night in front of a small crowd this match was tailor-made for a slip-up but instead Celtic won 2-0 with a display that was mostly confident and competent. The margin of victory should have been greater although for once this was not down to sloppy finishing but instead to excellent goalkeeping from the agile Samson and a bit of bad luck as the woodwork was struck three times- all from excellent attempts. The scorers were Emilio Izaguirre and Stefan Scepovic. The big Serb striker, who was chosen ahead of John Guidetti, did not play particularly well but his goal showed a real poacher’s instinct and he might be worth a run in the team. I do feel though that he looks the kind of striker who needs a partner in attack and this is an idea that Deila just doesn’t seem willing to entertain.

The key to Celtic’s victory was the return of Kris Commons who had by a distance his best match of the season. Last season’s Player of the Year (and top scorer) has rather fallen out of favour with new boss Ronny Deila but last night he was superb. He was responsible for two of the strikes which hit wood, passed superbly and was a constant worry to the home defence. He took a couple of pretty heavy early challenges early on but refused to be intimidated which was just as well as the referee, Kevin Clancy, seemed more interested in booking players for showing frustration at being ruled to have run the ball out of play (when they had not) or for celebrating scoring a goal rather than kicking lumps out of opponents.

Commons is out of contract at the end of the season and has been linked with a move to Neil Lennon’s Bolton Wanderers. The Lancashire side’s poor financial state is thought likely to scupper that move but it seems strange that Celtic is thought to be considering selling last season’s best player and the one player, arguably, that we have who can turn a game in an instant even when neither he nor the team is playing well – at least domestically. At European level, even last season, Kris looked a busted flush but in what looks likely to be a tight finish in the league a player of his type looks essential. He replaced the injured Anthony Stokes for last night’s match and quite simply the former Derby and Nottingham Forest man is the better player. Any money that any potential suitor is likely to offer is unlikely to be too much to refuse though even now I do not doubt that the bean counters inside Celtic Park will be thinking of the savings that can be made in terms of wages rather than the strong possibility that the player will do things on the park that will bring us trophies.

The other big plus from the Kilmarnock game was the return of young Liam Henderson who had a fine match operating mainly on the left of midfield. The eighteen year old did well in his first few games last season before his form dipped and in his only league appearance this season he had looked to be yet another Celtic youngster who does well initially but never recovers form after an initial burst of excellence. But against Killie the Livingston born lad looked as comfortable on the ball as anybody afield and he has a nice touch of arrogance about him. If he is nurtured properly – which does not mean he just gets dropped every time we have a big game but instead means resting him now and again- then we have a real prospect.

Celtic will return a week on Saturday with a match against Hamilton Accies. The Lanarkshire side have been this season’s revelation and beat Celtic in Glasgow three months ago so this is hardly a gentle re-introduction to the real thing after those expenses only jaunts in Gran Canaria. The outcome and also the way Celtic plays (as well as who plays for Celtic) will give a big insight into both the way things are likely to pan out and the thoughts of Ronny Deila.

Enjoy your hols Bhoys because the real hard work is about to begin.

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