Bank Of Scotland SPL
Saturday 14th August 2004
Rugby Park
Kick Off 3pm
It's a little bit ironic that the ground where Celtic clinched the league title last season should be the ground where we start our away campaign this year. It's also ironic that for tomorrow's game, slightly less high-profile than our last Rugby Park encounter, Celtic supporters have been allocated 9,000 tickets, when many fans struggled to obtain briefs in April.
We couldn't have asked for much of a better start to the new season. Before even playing a game, there was an opportunity to go ahead of Rangers, who dropped two points at Pittodrie on Saturday. A comfortable 2-0 victory saw off Motherwell on Flag Day, and we sit in a nice position, a couple of points better off than Rangers before an Old Firm game has taken place.
Rugby Park is a tricky away day - sometimes. Recent games there have resulted in a 5-0 trouncing, and the league clincher, a 1-0 victory, where Stan Petrov scored the only goal of the game.
Tomorrow's game is hard to judge, as Motherwell did not really test us last week. It was the same old Parkhead story, an easy win for Celtic in a rather dull SPL game. Killie played well in a potentially difficult away game at Hibs, winning the game 1-0.
In truth, teams like Killie should be brushed aside with relative ease, and I am sure if we manage to get an early goal, this will be the scenario. We should be out to show the rest of the country that no one is taking the SPL title away from us. The huns can kick their way through the season, and teams can rise to Celtic visits, but the destination of the league flag will be Parkhead once again.
Bobo Balde returns to the starting side for The Bhoys, and Stan Petrov has fully recovered from an ankle twist on Sunday. We have a good squad to choose from, but who will start up-front? Craig Beattie and Henri Camara looked decent against Spurs on Tuesday night, but Martin O'Neill will probably go with his favoured partnership of John Hartson and Chris Sutton. It is an opportunity for Hartson to show us he has still got it, as rumours are flying around, suggesting he has not been offered a contract extension at Celtic Park.
Martin O'Neill said today he is still decide whether Charles Edouard Coridon has a future at Paradise, and it looks as though the Juninho deal is off. With only two weeks to go until the transfer window closes, we need players in fast if we are to progress in Europe.
As I said, an early goal for The Hoops will kill the game, it's time to walk over teams like Killie and the like.
Hail Hail!
Celtic-Mad Prediction: Kilmarnock 1-3 Celtic
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