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Kasper Schmeichel played ‘mind games’ with Ross County striker as Ronan Hale reveals what Celtic keeper said to put him off

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Kasper Schmeichel played ‘mind games’ with Ross County striker as Ronan Hale reveals what Celtic keeper said to put him off

Ronan Hale needed a retake to beat Schmeichel but he insists the keeper’s antics didn’t spook him

Ronan Hale’s first penalty is saved

Red-hot Ronan Hale aims to remain on the Ross County goal trail after refusing to fall for Kasper Schmeichel’s mind games.

The Staggies striker notched number seven for the season in his third game on the bounce when he drilled a spot-kick beyond the Celtic keeper at the second attempt. Hale showed nerves of steel after Schmeichel saved his first effort but was caught creeping off his line. There was no mistake for the re-hit and the striker was thrilled to get the better of the Dane despite attempts to noise him up.

Schmeichel roughed up the penalty spot and then tried to talk the Northern Irish star out his spot-kick. But boyhood Hoops fan Hale shut out the wind-ups to bury his effort to cause Celts a major scare until the late fightback sealed the points for the Premiership champs.

The County hitman said: “I don’t know who did it (to the spot) but there was a lot of kicking around and there was a divot beside it. It was just all about getting a clean connection. Obviously there were some mind games going on, he was just talking about where I was going to put it and stuff.

“He (Schmeichel) guessed right the first time but the second time I think he just stood in the middle and it’s gone in the corner. So, thank God he did. It’s a 50-50 chance he can get his hand on it or it’s going in. Thankfully the second time I did it.

What the Celtic manager said to Kuhn after German homecoming

Everything that Nicolas Kuhn said to the media after Celtic’s 2-1 Scottish Premiership win against Ross County in Dingwall on Sunday afternoon…

How did it feel when the goal went in at the end?

It felt really good. It wasn’t a great first half but we got the three points in the end

What did you think that hard first half was down to?  A lot of effort was put into midweek was there a Euro hangover from that game?

I think we focused just on this game. For us, the passing was a little bit too slow, the final pass was missing, and I think we made it a little bit difficult for ourselves. But we talked about it at half-time and we did much better in the second half. The manager (Brendan Rodgers) talked about the resilience and the belief, the attitude that this team has. He always puts us down to earth. We have to focus on every game. We just keep going and see what the next game is, and we have to get the three points.

Did you see Kyogo make his run before you scored as he was offside?

I saw him, but I thought he was maybe offside, so I didn’t cross it, and it worked out well. I think at the end we did a good job. Just as I said, the first half was not how we wanted it, but we showed great mentality and got the win at the end.

That’s six goals and eight assists, so far are you pleased with that?

Yes, of course, that is good.

Do you play fantasy football as that is a lot of points in terms of goals and assists?

Yes, I do.

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You have had a cutting edge and end product to your game. How have you managed that?

We worked a lot in training on it, and getting a full pre-season was important to get the connection with everyone.

How do you feel that the start of the season has gone despite the Dortmund result?

That was not our real face. It was last year’s finalist of the Champions League, and if you’re not 100 per cent there, they’re going to take advantage. We talked a lot about it, but now it’s done, and we’re just going to focus on the next games. The start, except for that game, has been unbelievable.

How much did you enjoy the moment with the Celtic fans when you scored and the connection that you have built with them?

I really enjoyed it and it was amazing to celebrate with them at the end. I was just happy we got the three points in the end as it was really important to go into the international break with a win.

Did you worry that you were going to get sent off for a second booking?

Not really. The first booking was not deserved. I didn’t think about being sent off.

How difficult was that experience going home to Germany and suffering a defeat like that and was that part of the motivation to do well against Ross County?

Yes, for me personally, it was really difficult as I wanted to have a good game there. It was not to be and that’s how it is now. I spoke to the manager about it and he told me to keep going and that’s what we did.

You have RB Leipzig soon and another chance to shine against the Germans, haven’t you?

Yes. It is at home this time and we just have to do better.

You said it wasn’t Celtic’s real face in Germany. People say it was a bad night, it is Scottish football. Are you better than that?

I think we showed it before in the first Champions League game that we are a better team than that. I think everything was against us in Dortmund and we have a lot of games to go and we need to do better.

The Champions League is a new experience for a lot of the guys. Do you need time to adjust to it and perform in it?

That’s a factor we are going to work on. For a lot of the guys, it is their first experience of the Champions League. We played a good team in a big stadium and if you make lots of mistakes then they will punish you. That is what happened and we have to bounce back from it and take a lesson.

Do you just have to put it to bed and move on and get it out of the system? The season won’t be defined by this one result.

Exactly, at the end of the game, we just lost three points and we conceded too many goals that much is clear but we have six games to go.

Dream come true’ as Celtic prepare to enter Champions League group arena for first time

Republic of Ireland’s Caitlin Hayes helped Celtic qualify

Celtic head coach Elena Sadiku said it will be a “dream come true” when she leads the Hoops into their first ever Women’s Champions League group game on Tuesday evening.

Sadiku’s side became the first from Scotland to reach the group stages of the competition with a 2-0 win over Ukrainian outfit Vorskla Poltava last month, triumphing 3-0 on aggregate.

Celtic open their Group B campaign against Dutch champions FC Twente at Hamilton’s New Douglas Park, with home and away ties following against Chelsea and Real Madrid before concluding the pool stage with a trip to the Netherlands on 17 December.

“I treat it as a normal game, to be honest,” the 30-year-old Swede, who took up the reins in January, said at a press conference.

“I think the excitement was high when we got to the point of knowing we were going to play in the group stages of the Champions League.

“But right now it’s just about focusing on the game and what we need to do to perform well and try to win.

“Coming here is a dream come true. That’s something we talked about after winning the league – that we wanted to dream to get to the group stage, and to achieve this with the girls means everything to me.”

She added: “I think it will be a tense game, Twente are a good side, they’ve been showing great quality in the cup game against Ajax, and in the games that they’ve played so far, so we are expecting a tough game and I am very excited to see what the game is going to look like.”

Watch Finland v Republic of Ireland in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday from 7pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to live commentary with 2fm’s Game On.

Watch Republic of Ireland v Norway in UEFA European Championship Under-21 qualifying on Friday from 6.40pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app.

Nicky Devlin would take ‘rubbish’ Celtic performance if it meant seismic Aberdeen win over champions

The Dons are riding the crest of a wave and have won all 13 games – in all competitions – under Jimmy Thelin

Aberdeen star Nicky Devlin

Nicky Devlin would happily take another rubbish display at Celtic Park so long as Aberdeen bin Brendan Rodgers’ side and extend their dream 100 per cent start to the season.

The Dons are riding the crest of a wave and have won all 13 games, in all competitions, under new boss Jimmy Thelin. The Scotland new boy knows it is all about points rather than performances and was happy to pitch in with a goal in their dramatic comeback win over Hearts.

Their next Premiership test after the international break will be the toughest so far when they go head-to-head with the champions, who are also on a maximum 21 points. The good thing for Devlin is Aberdeen have still to hit top gear and as it stands they are finding different ways of winning. Devlin said: “We take confidence from the way we started the season and the way we ended the last one. We were unlucky not to win every game after the split (last season) because we drew the last game.

“We are in good form and there is a lot of confidence throughout the side. We know we can be better. There have been times where we could’ve been better but we manage to find a way. Listen, we can be rubbish at Celtic Park but if we can find a way then I would take that!”

Thelin’s side certainly know how to dig out results. That was shown as they came from behind to beat Hearts over the weekend.

They also had to hold on in the second half at Dundee and needed a late winner at Ross County. “I don’t think we were great if I am being honest,” said the right-back, who netted the equaliser against Hearts.

“We have done that a couple of times this season, where we haven’t been great but the resolve and attitude of the players have meant we have managed to find a way. We did that again on Sunday.

“It was important the second goal came after they had just gone in front. That swung the momentum back for us and the boys who came on were brilliant. They gave us an extra wee lift and an injection of pace when we needed it.”

Ante Palaversa grabbed the headlines with his late winner against Hearts but Devlin is well aware this current run is all about the collective. He reckons that was shown as the likes of Palaversa, Shayden Morris and the returning Duk all made their mark off the bench.

Devlin said: “I am delighted because Shayden has been doing it all season. He finds himself out the team and that is a bit harsh on him. The impact he is making when he comes on has been phenomenal.

“Duk was brilliant. I am delighted for him because he has had to work hard. If we can get that Duk between now and the end of the season then we will have an unbelievable player.”

Duk made his first appearance under Thelin, as he looks to repair his Aberdeen standing after going AWOL to try and force a move over the summer. Devlin knows he is back with the bit between his teeth.

“The impact he had on the game was massive,” Devlin said. “He was the reason the boy (Jorge Grant) got sent off. The other full-back (Adam Forrester) that came on last got booked against him and he also set up the winning goal.

“I don’t think he got an assist for it because Ester (Sokler) claimed he got a touch before Ante put it in. It won’t go down as an assist but he was brilliant for us.”

Aberdeen’s run is the best Devlin has had in terms of straight wins. He said: “I have never won this many games in my career before.

“At Livingston we went 14 games unbeaten, the year we got to the cup final but it was win after win. There were maybe a few draws. The amount of wins we have had has been phenomenal.”

Dons are neck and neck with Celtic and a massive 19 points ahead of bottom side Hearts, who finished a clear third last season. Devlin, like Thelin and the rest of his team, is not taking anything for granted. But they are in a good moment and they and the fans are enjoying it.

He said: “It is a good position to be in but we know ourselves we still have to play Hearts three times. They will be looking at it as if that will be nine points written off. We have had a good start but we have to keep going.”

Before the Celtic game Devlin has two big games of his own to worry about. The full-back has been called up by Steve Clarke for the first time for Scotland’s Nations League games against Croatia and Portugal.

The 30-year-old said: “It has been brilliant to be fair, those are the only words to describe it. It has also been a bit surreal.

“If you are a football player then this is the kind of level you want to get to. The call-up was brilliant but my focus was on the Hearts game and we managed to win. Last week the focus was on can we beat Hearts and go into the Celtic game level on points with them?

“Now, I have two massive games before that. The manager has said we can take one match at a time now. My next focus is Croatia and hopefully I can get on the park and play.”

Rodgers’ comments on Luke McCowan could soon bring added Celtic prominence- opinion

Luke McCowan is showing he is worth more than just being a Celtic fan living the dream after a string of impressive cameo performances since joining the Bhoys.

The 26-year-old has now made four substitute appearances for the Bhoys, scoring against Heart of Midlothian and playing a significant role in Adam Idah’s sixth at St Johnstone the weekend before last.

Paying tribute to their willingness to wrestle back control in the middle of the part, Rodgers said: “Second half, the guys coming into the game, Paulo and Luke, they were outstanding. They were flexible on the ball; they showed good movement.”

With a loaded list of Celtic fixtures to come after the international break, McCowan could be set for a more prominent role under the spotlight if he continues to demonstrate his trustworthy nature.

Luke McCowan is stepping up to the Celtic mark

McCowan joined Celtic for only £1 million during the summer and had to deal with, not doubt, but let’s say there’s a certain perception some adopt from time to time when the Hoops enter the market for Scottish Premiership talent.

Nevertheless, anyone who had watched the former Dundee captain before his move to Glasgow would’ve known he wasn’t someone to be underestimated. Scoring ten times in the top flight for a newly promoted side last term was nothing to be sniffed at; he belonged at a higher level, as you can see below.

Now tasked with kicking on at Celtic, McCowan has already started to win any unsure hearts and minds among the support. Despite being slight in stature, he is more than capable of mucking in to perform his engine room duties, winning 62.5% of his duels in the Scottish Premiership this campaign.

Comfortable in possession, he chalked up 28 successful passes from 32 attempted against Ross County on Sunday, coming in with an average hit rate of 88%.

Forging one chance during the match, his 29-minute cameo in the Highlands was the latest in a growing line of impressive performances, which may see him earn more opportunities to shine once the calendar progresses.

The mission now for McCowan is to earn his first Celtic start, something the manager may have in mind sooner rather than later.

Luke McCowan warrants a start soon for Celtic

You have to give Brendan Rodgers credit here. He hasn’t burdened McCowan with expectation; he has edged the midfielder into life at Celtic.

Fixtures are coming thick and fast between now and the festive period, surely he will get his chance to shine from the start

Somewhere dotted in the next five could hold the answer, with a post-European game possibly the most likely solution due to the demand imposed on the squad.

When the chance comes for McCowan, there is a real feeling he could take his shot and boost his prospects of becoming a regular in the line-up under Rodgers. Hopefully, the midfielder can continue to earn rave reviews.

Report: Aston Villa make ‘top tier’ move for key Celtic figure as dramatic £200m factor provides a Hoops problem

Aston Villa have snapped up the Celtic figure.

Aston Villa have made a top class appointment from Celtic – according to a finance expert.

Adrian Filby has been appointed as the Premier League club’s new chief commercial officer after spending 21 years over two spells in a similar role at Celtic. The two clubs will meet in the Champions League this season.

Stefan Borson – who acted as an adviser for Man City – reckons it’s a shrewd deal by Aston Villa. He told Football Insider: “I don’t know Adrian Filby, but I suspect anybody they are bringing in now at Villa is going to be top tier.

“Clearly, they are a club that’s just in that sweet spot and have got real momentum on and off the pitch. They have done a lot of deals over the last 12 months. It was slightly disappointing I think probably in terms of their front-of-shirt deal for this cycle because they ended up having to take a betting partner.

“I think they probably would have hoped that they could have got something a bit more blue-chip on the front of shirt given that they got the Champions League.”

Celtic lost 7-1 to Borussia Dortmund last week in the Champions League. A humbling experience, a £200m difference is what Borson points to as a reason why such a thrashing occurred.

He added: “There will obviously be a big disappointment on the back of winning the first game convincingly to then have the issue that they had against Dortmund.

“But the numbers are dramatic. If you look at the wage bill, Dortmund’s wage bill is £270million, Celtic’s is £70million. They are always going to have an issue in these sorts of games. Maybe at home they can deliver in these sorts of fixtures, but away from home, they are always going to have a problem.

“Their wage bill is the equivalent of some teams at the top of the English Championship. That’s the reality. Whereas if you are playing at Dortmund, they have got a wage bill that’s commensurate with Tottenham or Arsenal. There is just no comparison.

“Ultimately, we know the wage bill is a key driver. The only thing that’s disappointing from Celtic’s perspective is the scale of the defeat rather than the fact they have lost that game away from home against the finalists of last season’s Champions League. That’s just the way it works. It’s very hard to compete and there is no easy solution for it.”

Red-hot Kuhn is fast becoming Celtic’s main man in attack, eclipsing even Kyogo and Maeda after a blistering start to the season

Back in January, Nicolas Kuhn came off the bench as a substitute to make his debut for Celtic in a fairly forgettable 1-0 home victory over Ross County.

Having signed a five-and-a-half year deal for a fee of around £3million from Rapid Vienna, much was expected of Kuhn upon his arrival in Glasgow.

But his talents were not immediately obvious. The German winger managed just three goals in 18 games across the second half of last season.

There were health issues to overcome, most notably the dental problems which led to him dropping almost a stone in weight.

He was being written off in some quarters, with fans fearful that the club may have signed another ineffectual wide player, something they have stockpiled in recent years.

But Kuhn now looks to be a player reborn. Against County in Dingwall on Sunday, he fired the late winner which maintained Celtic’s 100-per-cent start to the new domestic season.

Kuhn’s late winner in Dingwall kept up Celtic’s 100 per cent start to the league campaign

The German winger latched on to a fine Alasdair Johnston pass before firing home

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is delighted with the early-season contribution from Kuhn

Written off and ridiculed only a few months ago, the 24-year-old has been Celtic’s main man this season. His numbers are undeniable.

Kuhn has now scored six goals and provided eight assists in 11 matches across all competitions so far this season.

His fingerprints are all over the run of results at the start of the new season which sends Celtic into the international break unbeaten at the top of the league and into the League Cup semi-finals.

Now fully fit and feeling the benefits of getting a full pre-season under his belt, Kuhn said: ‘I have worked a lot on that [my finishing] in training. Pre-season was important for me as I had to get a connection with everybody in the team.

‘In terms of my numbers with the goals and assists, so far it has been good… Yeah, I’m pleased.

‘We knew it would be a difficult game against Ross County. For us, the passing was a little bit too slow in the first half, the final pass was missing, and I think we made it a little bit difficult for ourselves.

Kuhn admitted his side didn’t have it all their own way in Dingwall, particularly in the first half

‘We talked about it at half-time and we did much better in the second half. The manager talked about the resilience and the belief, the attitude that this team has.

‘I was really happy to score the winner and continue this start to the season. I think we are in a good position.’

Trailing 1-0 to a first-half penalty from County striker Ronan Hale, Celtic were staring down the barrel of another defeat in Dingwall.

On the back of their Champions League humiliation against Borussia Dortmund last week, Brendan Rodgers’ side needed to dig deep and show resilience to overcome a stubborn County side.

When Alistair Johnston equalised with 15 minutes to play, that set the stage for Kuhn’s winner just two minutes from full-time.

It was a sublime pass from Johnston, the right-back cutting County wide open with a great through ball for Kuhn to latch on to.

He cut inside and placed a cool finish into the far corner, preserving Celtic’s 100 per cent start as well as his own excellent form this season.

Having arrived at Celtic in January, Kuhn says he is feeling the benefits of a full pre-season

In terms of outright productivity, and on current form, Kuhn has jumped ahead of Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda and is now the leading light in Celtic’s front three.

‘It was an unbelievable pass from Ali [Johnston] for the goal. I saw Kyogo waiting for the pass, but I thought he was maybe offside, so I didn’t cross it, and it worked out well.

‘I think at the end we did a good job. Just as I said, the first half was not how we wanted it, but we showed great mentality and got the win at the end.’

Already on a booking, there were some suggestions that Kuhn could have been sent off when he ran over to embrace the crowd and celebrate with supporters after scoring the winner.

Insisting it never even crossed his mind, he said: ‘To celebrate with them was amazing. I’m just happy that we got the three points at the end, because I think it was really important to go into the international break with a win.

‘I wasn’t really worried about a red card. I think the first one was not deserved. I didn’t even know what the first booking was for. But to be honest I didn’t really think about it.’

The winger was fortunate to escape a second yellow card after his celebrations with away fans

Rodgers will take his players over to Ireland for a friendly with Sligo Rovers this week, with the Celtic boss taking a mixed squad of youth players and first-team players who need minutes.

Kuhn is expected to be among those left at home and given time to rest and recover, with Rodgers delighted with the impact the German winger has made at the start of the new campaign.

‘He has been absolutely brilliant for us,’ said Rodgers. ‘I think his fitness, he’s looking more robust now, which is important.

‘He’s churning out the games and looks a real threat for us. He’s contributing in a big way and that’s what you need your wingers to do. They need to create goals and score goals, but also do the dirty side of the game. And he’s doing it really, really well.’

Celtic set to become an Adidas Elite Team upgrading from their B tier status

Celtic’s kit launch in the summer shows the quality of the Adidas kit. Photo Celtic FC

Celtic set to become an Adidas Elite Team…

Celtic’s kit launch in the summer shows the quality of the Adidas kit. Photo Celtic FC

It has been widely reported that Celtic, who first began sponsorship with Adidas back in 2020 are close to agreeing an extension with the sportswear manufacturing company with the current deal ending at the end of the season.

The lucrative new deal for the Hoops will see Celtic hold Adidas Elite status from the beginning of the 2025/2026 season.

Heat dry technology

Celtic’s kit launch in the summer shows the quality of the Adidas kit. Photo Celtic FC

Perks of the upgrade include new authentic kits with heat dry technology and the advantage of having the infamous trefoil adidas logo on the third kit.

Heavyweight sides who hold top status within the brand just now are Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Juventus and Manchester United.

Branching out to other clubs who have intrinsic links with the company and have impressed with marketing include Newcastle United and Italian giants Roma. Both clubs look set to join Celtic who will move on from B Premium Tier ranking within the brand.

Biggest kit sponsorship deal ever

Celtic’s kit launch in the summer shows the quality of the Adidas kit. Photo Celtic FC

The 2020 deal struck with Adidas was the biggest kit sponsorship deal ever to be announced across Scottish sport history. The multimillion pound deal will extend for another five years and the money will most likely rise again as indeed will Celtic’s global retail reach.

Commercially, this is another huge success for the club. Off the pitch, there are not many better well run clubs in world football than Celtic. This new deal is evidence of that.

The current Celtic idol Chris Sutton would ‘love’ to have played with in Martin O’Neill’s team

Chris Sutton has played with some of the best players ever to have worn a Celtic jersey during his time at the club.

No one can deny that Henrik Larsson was world-class at Celtic, former Champions League winner Paul Lambert was one of the best midfielders in Europe and let’s not forget how highly regarded Lubomir Moravcik was as well.

The point is, Chris Sutton knows what it’s like to play alongside special players who come along once every few years or so at Celtic.

So when he was asked to pick one of the current Celtic players who he would have taken in his team under Martin O’Neill, Sutton did not hesitate in his selection.

Sutton claims Celtic’s Callum McGregor is an ‘outstanding player’

Callum McGregor’s status at the club cannot be denied. Currently one of Celtic’s most decorated heroes of all time, the Hoops captain is close to reaching another landmark at the club.

McGregor is close to his 500th appearance for Celtic and is likely to hit that magical number this season so it is little wonder Sutton would have had him in his treble-winning team of the early 2000s.

Sutton told the It’s All Kicking Off podcast, “I love Callum McGregor. I think he’s had a fabulous career.

“The way that his brain works, he’s a yard ahead of everybody else the way that he thinks.

What Brendan Rodgers has said about Callum McGregor backs up Sutton’s praise

Callum McGregor is the one constant at Celtic under Brendan Rodgers. Last season he missed just five games out of 50 for Celtic with three of those after the league title was sewn up.

Speaking about McGregor’s importance to Celtic in last season’s title run-in win over Hearts, Rodgers said, “Callum’s importance cannot be underestimated with this team, the experience he brings, the quality, the view of the game and how inspirational a leader he is, so it was really about building him up.

“I felt at that moment when he made that run to challenge not once but twice to win the ball, you actually see what that gives the supporters.

“That’s why the intensity of pressing, the aggression, that sometimes gets a bigger cheer than a pass or a goal, but in that moment, it was fantastic for him and for the team, but also for me looking at him, knowing that’s him really back to the level that he’s shown.”

In all but one, McGregor has started and finished every Celtic game both domestically and in Europe. The only time the Hoops captain was taken off early was in Celtic’s 6-0 hammering of St Johnstone.

McGregor has been an inspiration since being appointed Celtic captain by Ange Postecoglou and he will be the driving force behind Rodgers’ bid to continue to dominate Scottish football and make progress in the Champions League.

Celtic feature in top 10 list of most valuable squads

Celtic players in the huddle (Image: SNS Group)

Celtic have the ninth most valuable squad in the world, excluding UEFA’s top 10 ranked associations.

Analysed by Football Benchmark, it has been found that the Scottish Premiership champions rank highly in the remaining top divisions from nations across the globe in terms of the total value of their players.

Estimated in Euros, the site forecasts Celtic to have a squad value of a whopping €137m. The average age of the squad is 26.

They are joined by some pretty big European and South American clubs on the list, including; River Plate, RB Salzburg, Palmeiras, Shakhtar Donetsk and Flamengo.

💰 Looking at the most valuable first division club sides outside of leagues from UEFA’s top 10 ranked associations, following the September update of our valuation tool, it is clear that multiple clubs with the highest total squad values are from Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦👀#football pic.twitter.com/4Xpq6rCxbc

— Football Benchmark (@Football_BM) October 7, 2024

The other four clubs are all from Saudi. This includes Jota’s former club Al-Itthad, as well as Al-Hilal, Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr – the team Cristiano Ronaldo plays for.

The club ranked top of the list is famous Brazilian side Flamengo. Their squad is valued at €210m.

When you take away Europe’s biggest leagues, such as the Premier League, La Liga and Bundesliga, it seems little surprise that Celtic make the top 10.

Brendan Rodgers spent the guts of £30m in the summer, with big money arrivals in the shape of Arne Engels for £11m and Adam Idah for £9m.

Of course, Matt O’Riley left to join Brighton for a fee in excess of £25m, which helped to allow the Hoops to spend bigger than they usually would in the market.

Meanwhile, The table-topping Scottish Premiership clash between Celtic and Aberdeen will not be on TV.

The league contest was not selected by Sky Sports for coverage when the television picks were made back at the start of September.

On September 12 the TV picks were announced for the weekend of October 19/20 with Celtic and Aberdeen’s meeting snubbed.

Sky Sports will instead broadcast the league match between Kilmarnock and Rangers.

Jack MacKenzie set for surprise Scotland call as Aberdeen star ready to replace Celtic’s Greg Taylor

The 24-year-old is set to join Steve Clarke’s squad alongside Dons pal Nicky Devlin for the Nations League double-header

Jack MacKenzie is set to join Aberdeen team-mate Nicky Devlin in the Scotland squad.

The left-back is about to be called in with Celtic’s Greg Taylor about to drop out. The 24-year-old will now team up with Steve Clarke’s squad for the Nations League clashes with Croatia and Portugal. Aberdeen have made an impressive start to the season. They have won all 13 games under new boss Jimmy Thelin and currently sit joint top of the Premiership with Brendan Rodgers’ Hoops.

Right-back Devlin was named in the initial squad but now MacKenzie looks set to join him. It is a remarkable rise for the pair who have never represented Scotland at any other level before. Kilmarnock’s Robby McCrorie is also set to be recalled with Norwich City keeper Angus Gunn likely to drop out. The keeper was in the last squad but was only coming back from injury when his squad was named.

McCrorie played 90 minutes in the weekend win over Dundee. Gunn’s injury means Craig Gordon is likely to get the nod to start against Croatia. The Hearts keeper only returned to the squad after missing out on Euro 2024.

Alex Valle Addresses Celtic Fans After Ross County Comeback

Celtic left-back Alex Valle took to social media to reflect on Celtic’s dramatic 2-1 comeback win against Ross County, sharing his thoughts with fans and followers.

The young Spaniard, currently on loan from Barcelona, stepped up in place of the injured Greg Taylor and delivered a solid second-half performance as Celtic clawed their way back to victory. The first forty-five was poor from all Celtic players.

6th October 2024; Victoria Park, Dingwall, Scotland: Scottish Premiership Football, Ross County versus Celtic; Alex Valle of Celtic warms up

Posting on Instagram, Valle wrote: “We fought until the end to get the comeback! See you after the break,” showing his determination and appreciation for the team’s fighting spirit. It was a key moment for both the club and the defender, as Valle continues to settle in during this early part of the season.

The win maintained Celtic’s 100% start to the league campaign, and for Valle, it was another positive step in his journey with the club. As Celtic head into the international break, the young full-back will have time to regroup and recharge ahead of what promises to be a busy run of fixtures.

Valle has impressed in his limited appearances so far, and with Greg Taylor working his way back to fitness, the competition for the left-back slot is heating up. For now, though, Valle can enjoy the break with another win under his belt as he navigates life as a Celtic player.

After the break, the bhoys have a top of the table clash against Aberdeen with at least one club’s 100% record set to come to an end.

The Greg Taylor silver lining for Celtic as safety-first stance could hold Champions League carrot

Celtic defender Greg Taylor missed out on Sunday as the Bhoys left it late in Dingwall to record a dramatic 2-1 victory against Ross County.

The Scotland international was withdrawn against Borussia Dortmund last week and was replaced by Alex Valle, who kept his place last weekend.

Brendan Rodgers gave an update on Greg Taylor’s Celtic fitness post-match, stating: “Greg will just have to wait and see. On that, I thought young Alex Valle had done well today.

“Especially in the second half, his positioning was a little bit better. But Greg, we hope he’ll be back. If he’s not for Aberdeen, then not long after that.”

🍀”He’s a fantastic player for us. How he makes that position work how we want it to look, he’s first class…”

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says a new contract for Greg Taylor is a “priority” ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/3gtgu8y5lG

— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) September 13, 2024

Since then, Taylor has been ruled out of Scotland’s squad for their upcoming Nations League double-header against Croatia and Portugal [BBC Sport].

With Celtic’s Champions League clash against Atalanta visible in the distance, all parties appear to be taking a common-sense approach.

Greg Taylor’s importance to Celtic can’t be diced with

Valle’s emergence at left-back has been positive for Celtic. However, Taylor’s importance under Rodgers can’t be diced with amid a crucial run of fixtures for the Bhoys on the other side of the international break.

Keeping that in mind, it makes sense for the former Kilmarnock man to take a rest while Scotland are in action. In all likelihood, it is hard to imagine he would’ve played over Andy Robertson, but Steve Clarke clearly has trust in the 14-cap international as a squad member.

Saturday 19th October

Premiership

Celtic

15:00

Aberdeen

Wednesday 23rd October

UEFA Champions League

Atalanta

17:45

Celtic

Sunday 27th October

Premiership

Motherwell

14:00

Celtic

Wednesday 30th October

Premiership

Celtic

19:45

Dundee

Tuesday 5th November

UEFA Champions League

Celtic

20:00

RB Leipzig

Casting your eye over Celtic’s upcoming challenges, it would be ideal if Taylor’s period of recuperation could lead him to become available against Atalanta on October 23rd, in line with Rodgers’ comments on his potential return timeline.

Making ten appearances this campaign, the Greenock-born defender has already claimed three assists alongside striving in his inverted role by helping to flood the midfield in possession.

What Valle has in youthful exuberance and athleticism, Taylor has in experience and keeping a cool head, which is why the Bhoys are determined to tie him up on a new contract.

Greg Taylor’s Celtic contract situation is still unresolved

Despite speculation being widespread on his future, Celtic are no closer to solving Taylor’s contract situation.

While he continues to perform on the pitch, there is little information in the public domain on whether he will remain in Glasgow beyond next summer.

Hopefully, quiet negotiations are going on in the background. It would be a shame for Celtic to run the risk of losing someone who has played a critical part in their recent success.

For now, the focus is Taylor’s recovery from injury, where he at least has the international break to get up to speed ahead of club football’s resumption.

Sir Rod Stewart celebrated Celtic’s win at plush Dumbarton club

Rod Stewart all smiles as he celebrated Celtic’s win at plush club (Image: Social Media)

Sir Rod Stewart was all smiles as he celebrated Celtic‘s win against Ross County at a plush club.

The 79-year-old was pictured looking chuffed at Loch Lomond Golf Club in Luss following the match on Sunday, October 6.

The Hoops won 2 – 1, with goals from Alistair Johnston and Nicolas-Gerrit Kuhn.

Following the win, the Maggie May singer posted a picture on social media captioned “Celtic 2, Ross County 1”.

In the image, the legendary musician could be seen donning a Hoops hoodie while holding a flag post on the golf course at the Scots club.

It comes after we reported how Rod was spotted watching the match in a ‘green and white’ room at the lavish golf club.

The iconic musician – who is from London, England – is known for his smash hits including Have You Ever Seen The Rain, Baby Jane, and Sailing.

New strand of Ability Counts for Sligo Rovers and Celtic

To mark the occasion of Sligo Rovers hosting Celtic at the Showgrounds this Wednesday, October 9, Celtic FC Foundation and the community outreach team at Rovers are announcing the launch of a new strand of our Ability Counts project.

This project will offer sports participation and learning opportunities to people with Down’s Syndrome, additional Support Needs/Special Education needs and neurodiverse children and young people.

 Celtic FC Foundation has been active in Ireland for a number of years offering inclusive sports through the Ability Counts project in Dublin, Derry, Donegal and Mayo.

This is the first project of its type that the Foundation has delivered in Sligo and it extends the Foundation’s presence in the town and the county, which currently builds on the Community Games participation programme.

Sligo Rovers has recently launched its own programme focused on disability sport as part of the club community outreach programme and have built relationships with parents, participants and local organisations as part of that process.

This new partnership between Sligo Rovers and Celtic FC Foundation will enhance the offer of disability sports locally – with coaches from both organisations working together to deliver football, multi-sports, physical health sessions and educational activities that will demonstrate how Ability Counts.

CEO of Sligo Rovers, Andrew Feakins said: “Community engagement and equality of access and opportunity is a cornerstone of our diverse activities at Sligo Rovers FC’s football social responsibility.

“The Ability Counts project will form a cornerstone of our portfolio of initiatives that will directly impact a wide range of individuals within a football concept and in general development and learning in Sligo.

“We are proud to be a partner in this programme and the link with Celtic FC Foundation offers us increased learning and development opportunities as a team and brings a fresh sense of purpose and stature to our work in the community.

“I look forward to seeing the Ability Counts programme in action and the continued expansion of our joint offering with Celtic FC Foundation to local communities.”

Chief Executive of Celtic FC Foundation, Tony Hamilton said: “We are delighted to be launching a new strand to Ability Counts in Sligo, building on the excellent work we have already carried out in Ireland.

“Ireland will forever be in Celtic’s DNA and we are fully committed to ensuring the Foundation continues to make a positive difference to the lives of people who are in need, right across the country.”

Celtic Football Club of course has such a strong and proud Irish heritage. It is fantastic that the club is making another visit to Ireland to face Sligo Rovers and already Celtic FC Foundation has a strong presence in Ireland through a number of initiatives.

Community Games Programme

In Ireland, we’ve launched three weekly football-based programmes in Mayo and Sligo, specifically targeting DEIS schools (schools catering to low-income families). This includes girls-only projects and end-of-year tournaments, reaching 300 young people per week.

Holiday Projects for Young People 

Our Community Games Holiday Project also provide free access to activities for young people and families facing poverty across Sligo, Mayo, and Derry. We’ve also introduced a bespoke project for the Traveller community in Mayo.

Ability Counts Ireland 

Our Ability Counts Ireland project supports 100 young people with additional support needs across Mayo, Sligo, Derry, and Donegal. One of our proudest achievements is the success of a team from Donegal, who recently won an Ability Counts football tournament in Glasgow.

At Celtic FC Foundation, we believe that everyone deserves the chance to thrive. By providing free access to leadership training, health and wellbeing support, physical activity and community-building projects, we are committed to making a lasting impact on the lives of those who need it most.

Gutted Ronan Hale shares why scoring against Celtic for Ross County will get him ‘a bit of grief

Whilst a late win always goes down with all Celtic fans, there is one supporter at Ross County who was still gutted at the Dingwall result.

Brendan Rodgers kept his unbeaten Scottish Premier League record intact with a tough Celtic win at Ross County yesterday afternoon.

A late comeback sent the Celtic support who made the trip to Ross County home jubilant and tees up a big top-of-the-table clash with Aberdeen after the international break.

And whilst every Celtic supporter will have been delighted with the result, Ross County’s Ronan Hale shares why he was so disappointed at the Hoops taking all three points back to Glasgow.

Ronan Hale’s Celtic supporting family will rib Ross County hero

Hale must have thought his first-half penalty was going to seal a famous win over Celtic until Alistair Johnston’s deflected equaliser for the Bhoys levelled the scores and then Nicolas Kuhn popped up for the Hoops with the 87th-minute Ross County winner.

And speaking about his penalty, Hale admits that when he took the second chance to bury the spot kick to put County 1-0 up, he will be in for ‘a bit of grief’ back in Ireland.

Hale said, “It was one of them where I was I felt confident going up for the penalty. Obviously, I missed my last one, but I thought I was confident enough to go for it.

“And then, luckily, he was off his line and I just thought, listen, there’s no better way to put it to bed and chance go again. And luckily, I did.

“I didn’t want to give him a chance. And, you know, my first one wasn’t in the corner enough, and the second one was right in it. So it was one of them where I just needed to get a good connection on it, and it’s gone in.”

🗣️ “I’m sure I’ll have got a bit of grief, everyone knows I’m a [Celtic] fan but on the pitch that means nothing.”

🗣️ “I’m enjoying football, results are turning.”

Ronan Hale on Ross County’s 2-1 defeat to Celtic ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/IJhKcVyYyQ

— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) October 6, 2024

A self-confessed Celtic fan, the Ross County striker was asked how his goal would have gone down back home and Hale admitted, “I’m sure I’ll get a bit of grief, but I’m sure they would have been happy for me.

“You know, everyone knows that I’m a fan, but listen, on the pitch, it’s nothing. And I showed that today where I just wanted to win, and I believe I did that.”

Ross County striker Hale admits Celtic ‘blow’

Celtic’s last defeat to Ross County was back in 2021. In fact, in 43 meetings between the clubs, The Staggies have won just five and to get so close to the sixth has left the former Republic of Ireland U21 forward and his Ross County teammates disappointed.

Hale continued, “I think it was a blow coming at the end there. You know, we hung on, Celtic are a great team.

“At 1-0 up it’s never going to be easy. But once we conceded the first, it was just more, ‘Listen, can we hold on for the draw?’

“And it turned out not to be on the day. But I thought the boys were brilliant from minute one. And it’s just one of them days.”

For the Celtic fans, they can sit back and relax knowing that their top spot in the Scottish Premiership table is safe until Aberdeen visits on the 19th of October.

Should Celtic win that game then it will be the first time this season that a points gap has separated Brendan Rodgers’ side from The Dons.

With Celtic’s fixtures coming thick and fast and Rodgers fighting on four competition fronts, any lead that can be gained at the top of the table will be welcomed to open up a bit of breathing space between the rest of the opposition.

Rangers hero laughed at after Celtic red card rant as ‘dear me’ verdict lands after moment ex-ace didn’t like

The Rangers hero wasn’t pleased with the decision on Saturday.

A Rangers hero has been laughed at by a Celtic legend after his Hoops red card claim.

Nicolas Kuhn struck the winner for Brendan Rodgers’ team in their seventh straight Premiership victory on Sunday, beating Ross County 2-1. He celebrated with the away fans in Dingwall, and having already been on a booking, some expected a second yellow to be dished out.

Referee Kevin Clancy kept his cards in his pocket and Rangers favourite Kris Boyd was straight on the case. He told Sky Sports: “Take nothing away from Celtic, it’s a fantastic finish from Nicolas Kuhn. But, obviously you can just run into the crowd and celebrate and nothing happens. The rules must have changed. I thought you got booked if you go into the crowd.”

That had Celtic hero Chris Sutton posting his bemusement over Boyd. He tweeted: “Celtic huffed and puffed and finally got there. The subs changed the game. McCowan excellent, Kyogo’s movement fantastic, Forrest the old stager looked sharp. Kuhn wonderful finish. Kris Boyd didn’t like him celebrating the winner… dear me.”

Sutton followed up his tweet with laughing emojis about Boyd. The IFAB rules state: “Players can celebrate when a goal is scored, but the celebration must not be excessive; choreographed celebrations are not encouraged and must not cause excessive time-wasting.

“Leaving the field of play to celebrate a goal is not a cautionable offence but players should return as soon as possible. A player must be cautioned, even if the goal is disallowed, for: climbing onto a perimeter fence and/or approaching the spectators in a manner which causes safety and/or security issues; acting in a provocative, derisory or inflammatory way; covering the head or face with a mask or other similar item; removing the shirt or covering the head with shirt.”

Celtic hit by ‘dramatic’ financial blow – Stefan Borson

Celtic will always struggle to compete away from home in the Champions League against teams like Borussia Dortmund because of the difference in wage bills.

That is the view of finance expert Stefan Borson, who exclusively told Football Insider the “big disappointment” for the Scottish champions will be the scoreline against Dortmund as opposed to actually losing the game.

Celtic lost 7-1 against the Bundesliga side in their second group stage game on the back of their 5-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava in their opening fixture.

Brendan Rodgers’s side still have to make the trips to Atalanta, Dinamo Zagreb and Aston Villa in the competition, while they will face RB Leipzig, Club Brugge and Young Boys at home.

Celtic to continue facing issues in Champions League away games

Although Borson insisted Celtic should be able to compete in their Champions League home games, he believes they will continue to face problems on the road.

He told Football Insider“There will obviously be a big disappointment on the back of winning the first game convincingly to then have the issue that they had against Dortmund.

“But the numbers are dramatic. If you look at the wage bill, Dortmund’s wage bill is £270million, Celtic’s is £70million.

“They are always going to have an issue in these sorts of games.

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“Maybe at home they can deliver in these sorts of fixtures, but away from home, they are always going to have a problem.

“Their wage bill is the equivalent of some teams at the top of the English Championship. That’s the reality.

“Whereas if you are playing at Dortmund, they have got a wage bill that’s commensurate with Tottenham or Arsenal. There is just no comparison.

“Ultimately, we know the wage bill is a key driver.

“The only thing that’s disappointing from Celtic’s perspective is the scale of the defeat rather than the fact they have lost that game away from home against the finalists of last season’s Champions League.

“That’s just the way it works. It’s very hard to compete and there is no easy solution for it.”

Aston Villa tipped to sign £18m Celtic duo in stunning January raid

Celtic pair Daizen Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi have been suggested as January transfer targets for Aston Villa.

Former midfielder Stiliyan Petrov, who made a combined 523 appearances across lengthy spells at Villa and Celtic, believes transfer dealings should take place between the two teams in January.

Although the Villans are already succeeding in the Premier League and Champions League, Petrov reckons some extra firepower wouldn’t go amiss. Maeda and Kyogo, who have directly contributed to four and five goals respectively in Celtic’s opening seven Scottish Premiership matches this season, are two players Petrov thinks would suit Villa to a T.

Asked who Unai Emery should be looking at from Celtic, Petrov said: “There’s not one, there’s quite a few. Listen, Celtic at the moment are performing really well, but I would like to see probably two players, Maeda or Kyogo.

“Maeda with his pace, his energy, his ability to push full backs and to press, it’s incredible. Probably one of the best I’ve seen in football. And Kyogo is just a classy player, a great striker with so much ability, really clever and the main thing is he scores goals.”

Japanese attacking duo Kyogo Furuhashi (L) and Daizen Maeda (R) have been combining well for Celtic. | AFP via Getty Images

It’s unlikely that either forward would make it into Villa’s starting lineup at present as the likes of Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers and Jhon Duran are flying. That said, extra legs and goals probably wouldn’t be sniffed at by Emery, especially as the fixture list will be busier than ever with the new UEFA Champions League format.

Maeda, 26 and Kyogo, 29, have a current combined transfer value of €21.5 million (£18 million) as per Transfermarkt.

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