“The key to success for us in Greece has been a strong manager, that’s 100 per cent the case.”

Well, thanks for that. Look forward to a call from Gordon Smith; he wants you on the national manager selection committee.

But there’s more:

“[German Otto Rehhagel] operates in a country where there’s only an average league championship and the clubs in Greece don’t do enough to help the national side… The national team is still three levels higher than any club side in the country and that’s partly because a lot of the squad play their football in other parts of Europe. We bring a better mentality to the national set-up.”

That’s an idea – torpedo the Scottish Premier and the greater Scottish Football League system so it’s down-right horrid, and then put all the remaining eggs in a Tartan basket. Then get a German manager. Heck, the Scots could have themselves a European Championship by 2016.

Or is the league already average enough to qualify for the type of success the Greeks have garnered?

Even effin’ Forbes is in on the action:

“One of Gartside’s more radicial proposals was flatly rejected. He wants the new clubs to include Celtic and Rangers, two top Scottish clubs that now play in the Scottish Premier League… The big boys don’t want further competition for the already limited number of places available to EPL clubs in the lucrative UEFA Champions League competition.”

This all off the heals of the relatively warm reception English club managers Harry Redknapp and David Moyes had to the inclusion idea.

So, no jailbreak tonight for the Teddies and the Bhoys. Oh well…

Here’s Thin Lizzy anyway.

Hamburger SV nil, Celtic nil…

According to The Herald, both Scot McDonald and the keeper, who still isn’t Artur Boruc, say Celtic can still qualify out of the Europa Cup Group Stage.

Scotty Mac, a beacon of light and optimism here, said, “There is plenty to build on and more goals would be helpful for every­one. We’d like a few more, but it’s not for the want of trying. We’ve had chances in Europe and we’ve been unfortunate, but we’ll look forward to the two games we have left.”

Because no one in the press pool believed him, or that they just wanted a(nother) good laugh, they brought in Lukasz Zaluska (who, by some token, made some real top-class saves this evening). Zaluska said, “We know this is a very difficult aim, but we had a few good chances and we have to win the last two games now.”

All this coming after what is becoming Tony Mowbray anger-after-a-win, hope-after-a-loss song and dance: “We will try and get the points which are in front of us, and what will be will be … [R]egarding the group, we have two matches left and we have to take max­imum points. That has got to be our focus at the moment.”

I don’t know about all that. I’m sure saving the European campaign might look something like this:

Because I generally love European nights, let’s hope I eat these words and Celtic take full spoils at Celtic Park and in Vienna.

In the Scottish Premier League :

Celtic 3 – 0 Kilmarnock
- Two wins in a row find Celtic atop the Scottish Premier league. Two loses out of three find Killie ninth, tied on points with St Johnstone and Hearts.

Hibernian 2 – 0 Aberdeen
- With the best 6-game form in the league – 4 wins and 2 draws – the Hibees are second to Celtic. Two points from four matches sit the Dons seventh in the table.

Motherwell 1 – 0 Hearts
- With nine points out of the last possible eighteen, Motherwell move to fourth. Despite recent League Cup success, Hearts have only two league wins on the campaign, sitting ninth.

St Johnstone 3 – 1 Falkirk
– The Saints find another decisive win to go tenth, five clear of Falkirk, who have yet to claim full points this season.

St Mirren 0 – 2 Hamilton
- Hamilton get their first away win of the campaign, but still linger second from the bottom. St Mirren have twelve of a possible thirty and sit sixth behind United.

And, due to rain, the Dundee United v Rangers match has been abandoned. Rangers lead 1-nil – Steven Davis in the 29′.

Now, back to bed.

Over-the-top quote of the article: “Celtic have made a habit this season of conceding first before winning but yesterday’s last-gasp comeback in this Scottish Cup quarter-final was so late and so stunning that the Loch Ness Monster could have surfaced in the adjacent Moray Firth at full-time and nobody in the Caledonian Stadium would have noticed.”

Nakamura breaks bone in left hand, courtesy of sportinglife.com.

Miller hoping late sting is first of many, courtesy of The Scotsman.

Miller’s seeing a bit more burn in the last few Celtic matches, including the UEFA Champions League match, and a game winning knock to send the Bhoys on to the Scottish Cup semifinal.

Pressley happy with Celtic’s ‘nevery-say-die’ approach, courtesy of Ireland Online.

And, why not…

Rangers play follow the leader again, courtesy of Scotland on Sunday. he he he…

We are Celtic. This is the Celtic Offside Report.

We are Celtic. This is the Celtic Offside Report.

Celtic maintained their 17 point league advantage of Rangers with full victory spoils over St Mirren – the Parkhead fireworks provided by none other than Dutch international Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, who recorded his first Celtic hat-trick Saturday, a goal in 16 to give Hoops an early first half lead, and two more at 61 and 75. Aiden McGeady added a goal of his own, his at 29 to extend the Celtic lead. A clever strike by opposing midfielder Stephen McGinn brought the Saints within a goal, but Celtic’s offensive onslaught proved too much for the visitors’ defense.

Strachan gave hard working striker Craig Beattie a rest in 78, a move proving providential, as Beattie’s replacement Kenny Miller scored just 4 minutes later. This was Miller’s first Scottish Premier goal since Celtic’s away win at Dunfermline back in October. Beattie helped the hat-tricking Dutchman with his third goal, a brilliant cross in 75. Strachan gave Beattie the start at striker ahead of Maciej Zurawski, who had two of the goals in Celtic’s 4-nil rout of Dumbarton in the SFA Cup fixture earlier in January.

St Mirren on paper never posed any significant threat to the league leaders, as Saints are trying to reacquaint themselves with top-flight football. St Mirren won the First Division in 2006, but had not been in the Premier since 2001. Saints sit eleventh in the table, 9 points ahead of Dunfermline and potential relegation. This defeat at Parkhead is the club’s seventh away loss on the season.

Celtic has won 5 of their last 6 home matches for a hosting total of dozen wins and a single draw, only failing to collect full spoils when the Bhoys drew with Dundee United 2 goals each on Boxing Day 2006.

Update: Match highlights, courtesy of Youtube.

We are Celtic. This is the Celtic Offside Report.

While the game is not being televised through any means that I can see (even through celticfc.net), the radio broadcast has been quite exciting.

At the half, Celtic leads Dumbarton 3 goals to nil.

- Maciej Zurawski scored his two goals in the first 10 minutes at 4 and 9.

- Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, who is recently off his injury leave, scored right before the half at 43.

No cards, and nothing more to say about the first half, except Celtic control and poise to score three good goals.

More to report at the summation of the match. Hopefully Zurawski can find his hat trick and the team continues to play healthy and dominant.

—

Second Half update

Derek Riodan’s second half goal on 69 was enough for the Celtic offensive column. Hoops finished the game 4-nil. Riodan started the second half in place of Shunsuke Nakamura. Thomas Graveson did not start, but came in at 72 to give Neil Lennon a blow, and Kenny Miller relived Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, who scored in the first half.

This match from the outset was never going to trouble Celtic, especially at home. In fact it was the best case scenerio for Gordan Strachan: players returning from injury were able to get in good minutes, even a good goal, and Steven Pressley played another full match in hoops to assist Artur Boruc with another well-earned cleansheet.

We are Celtic. This is the Celtic Offside Report.

Bobo Balde sidelined for season, courtesy of The Daily Record.

If defensive woes weren’t already copious enough, Bobo Balde is done for the season, joining defensive Gary Cadwell and Mark Wilson, both Strachan’s would-be first picks to stand in the backline. Celtic will look to young talents, most likely Darren O’Dea or John Kennedy, to fill in with Paul Telfer, Lee Naylor, and captain extraordinare Stephen McManus.

Celtic eyes Aberdeen Anderson, courtesy of The Scotsman.

With Charlton’s Alan Perdew confident of his transfer talks, Celtic’s hope of signing former Hearts captain Steven Pressley has all but faded. Looking to greener pastures (and younger ones, I might add), Gordon Strachan is eying heavy Aberdeen’s Russell Anderson to fill in the defensive vacancies. The upside to this potential transfer: Anderson, as noted, is five years younger than Pressley. The downside: Anderson is still committed to Aberdeen for a few more years. This means Celtic would have to shell out more cash than they would have had to acquire Pressley.

Hard work still ahead for Celtic, courtesy of The Herald.

And for good measure-
“We’re rank rotten!” says Le Guen of his Rangers, courtesy of The Daily Record.

I love when this guy gets flustered, and there are delightful rumours that he may get sacked. This all following an away 1-2 loss to Caley Thistle in Inverness.

We are Celtic. This is the Celtic Offside Report.

Celtic face Milan Challenge, courtesy of The Daily Record.

McManus back for Hoops, courtesy of Football365.

Celtic could be a Lease of Life for Pressley, courtesy of The Scotsman.

Celtic v AC, Hapoel v Gers, courtesy of The Evening Times.