New Season Same Team

There’s been a long line of players I’ve never heard of trotted out over the last couple of months - mind that guy that played 20 minutes for Bulgaria at Euro 2002? Even though it’s a name I don’t know, I’m desperate for him to sign - Christ I was even excited by Paddy McCourt. Crosas looks like he’s coming - never heard of him. An original £4million player has turned into £700,000. I’m always slightly wary of someone who allegedly has such potential choosing to come to Scotland and not being courted by a club in a better league. In today’s market, when decidedly mediocre players are going for millions and earning 30 grand a week it doesn’t look like much of a risk.

Even through the longing for new faces I’m still upbeat going into this season, though I’d still love to see a real bruiser of a centre half on the books, a Balde type but with the ability to find a team mate every now and again. Rangers forwards have bullied our centre halfs in virtually every Old Firm game since Smith’s return, (even Sebo, the stunt double for Hellboy).

I like McManus and Caldwell as a partnership and Caldwell was a stand out in the second half of the season but sometimes they can be a bit too nice, when you would love to see them give Cousin a boot up Le Hole.

Naylor could definitely do with some competition as he was rank last season - maybe Doumbe and Wilson can stay fit for 10 minutes as they can cover there. Hinkel will also hopefully get back to being the player he used to be, as he’s been a big disappointment. Same with Scott Brown; if he plays like the player we signed from Hibs then it will make a huge difference - maybe Naka being out for a while might not be a bad thing. A midfield with McGeady on the right, Robson on the left, Hartley and Brown through the centre would certainly have real dig which we lacked for the majority of last season.

I think a major factor in us winning the title was Brown’s suspension which allowed Robson into the team and he was immense - forget the brilliant free kick with his first kick of the ball against Aberdeen or the Barcelona goal, the one that established him as a Celtic player for me was when he clattered into Dailly in the first 5 seconds of the Old Firm game - something which was missing from our midfield all season. Brown does have a good bit of dig but mostly it’s done as a daft kick out when he pulls on his book me shirt.

Another reason for being upbeat is obviously the nick of Rangers. Last season, yes they were dire to watch but to get to the UEFA Cup Final, narrowly lose out on the league and win both cups was unbelievable, considering the shambles that Walter Smith inherited.

What he did wasn’t rocket science though; he drafted in tried and tested players, seasoned internationalists and told them to defend. Nothing more. Kick the way your facing, nothing fancy and hopefully we’ll nick the odd goal. Having said that they were luckier than Eva Mendes’ bikini waxer - never has a team been pumped more, home and away than against Werder Bremen or Mark Kerr’s backpass in the CIS final or... anyway there were hunners, I’m trying to congratulate them here.

That was last season and what Rangers needed this season was to get rid of the players who did such an amazing job as a stop-gap and bring in some younger players who may not provide the quick fix but would move them forward. Instead he extended deals for Davie Weir and Christian Dailly - Weir against Liverpool looked like a corpse - a 39 year old guy against Torres and Keane is not really fair and then you compound it by partnering him with Kirk Broadfoot, why not just take him out the back and give him a chilli sauce enema and be done with it?

I know this is about Celtic but no matter how our season progresses and whatever we achieve in the Champion’s League it will be considered a success if we finish above Rangers, which will in all honesty will mean as Champions. Dundee United will be good this season and Hearts looked the part against Hull, though do yourself a favour, if their new manager is being interviewed (Csaba Laszlo - I looked that up, nobody except his wife and his maw have ever heard of him) switch the telly off - he makes a Walter Smith interview seem like a lapdance while listening to Richard Pryor on a rollercoaster.

Rangers being knocked out by Kaunas is massive. Really handing the initiative to Celtic - both in terms of finance and confidence. It’ll be good for Rangers this season not to have that pesky Europe to worry about which lost them the league last season anyway. It’s been said that it’s their worst result in 52 years of European competition. I don’t know about that but I haven’t been able to get the smile off my face with a cheese grater.