Marco Fortune has played one hour of competitive football since signing for Celtic and, incredibly, we have so-called journalists (that's you Mr Keevins) questioning his ability. Scott McDonald's Celtic career got off to a great start when he set up Paul Hartley's goal against Spartak in Moscow and scored himself against the Russian side in the return leg and as the Aussie striker recalled those games ahead of tomorrow's Champions League qualifier he took time out to wish his new strike partner every success in getting his first goals for the club. 
"My first goal for Celtic after leaving Motherwell was against Spartak at home." said Skippy. "My first game was away in Russia when I set up Paul Hartley for a goal. To do all that in Europe and score your first goal for Celtic in a game that brought Champions League qualification was special. That was my third competitive game. We had played Spartak away on my debut then Aberdeen away where I missed an absolute sitter with a header. We all miss them but it's how you react that's important. You have to get on with it. Hopefully Marco will break his duck."
"Marco has been fine." he added. "He's just working hard in training and waiting to get that first goal. He's a striker and being signed by a big club always brings the pressure of getting that first goal out the way. Once that comes I'm sure he will be more settled. Everyone wants instant success, but it's still early for Marco."
McDonald is approaching tomorrow's second leg knowing that this Celtic side will create chances for the front two, just as they did in the first leg, but he's hoping that the chances can be converted this time. "We played well in the first leg." he said. "After they scored we nearly got caught a couple of times because we were going for it. But we were very comfortable and created chances. This time we have to be more ruthless in front of goal. If we get a chance we've got to take it. Hopefully if that chance does come early and we score, that will put all the pressure back on them."
"We're 1-0 down so we have to do what hasn't been done by Celtic for a long time - win away in the Champions League." he continued. "We've reached the last 16 of this competition twice and it's been a superb effort but to pull if off like this away from home would be massive. The past doesn't weigh on our minds. A lot is made of it we don't go into these games thinking 'Oh, no, another away game'. That's not the case, especially when we have a new manager with new ideas."
"This is a tough task but maybe there is less pressure on us because people aren't expecting us to do that well here in Russia." said the Australian international. "We'll be looking to go out and be positive and have a go at them from the first whistle. We need the early goal. If we can unnerve them straight away, like they did to us in the first leg, it would be great. A quick goal can change the progress of the game. I don't think we will try to hold them and keep it tight until the last 20 minutes."
Tony Mowbray and Gordon Strachan have very different ideas on playing the game and that has become very apparent, very quickly, to the players. The former boss believed in rigid tactics and positioning whereas it seems the new man will use a more cavalier approach. "There is a definite change where the wide players are concerned," said McDonald. "They are getting more opportunity to express themselves in the sense of moving around and not being told to stay out wide. They have sort of been given almost free roles now. The players now have a freedom to play in areas the manager beforehand wouldn't have liked. So that is definitely a difference. And Tony also wants his full-backs to 'bomb on' even further than before."
"The new manager has brought in a very positive style of play." said Celtic's number seven. "Hopefully that will create a lot of goals for me and Marco although it can leave you open at the back as we've seen. We'll probably be a little more cautious this time. I just want to do my bit for the team by getting on the scoresheet. It'll be tough for us but then again maybe there is less pressure on us anyway as people are not expecting us to do that well. But we have our own expectations of what we want to do, and we'll be looking to go out and be positive, and try to have a go at them from the word go."