Young Hoops star Colby Donovan spoke to the mainstream media after Celtic’s Scottish Cup 4th round win over Auchinleck Talbot as the Celtic player’s attention turns to playing Bologna then Hearts in two hugely significant games in Celtic’s season…
Scottish Cup progression
“We done well at times in the first half,” Colby Donovan said after Celtic’s no nonsense 2-0 win over the Ayrshire side. The young Celtic star moved to the left-back area as Martin O’Neill made ten changes from the team that won at Falkirk last midweek, a result that looked even better by the weekend with John McGlynn in-form side going to Tynecastle and knocking Hearts out of the Scottish Cup.
Donovan gave his assessment of the game, noting the one real scare Celtic got from Auchinleck Talbot with around a quarter of an hour on the clock.
“The set-piece they got in the first 15-odd minutes kind of set us back. They put us into a hard game, but we’re through to the next round, so I don’t think there are any bad things to say about the game,” he said as reported by TCW.
Donovan continued: “We knew they’d set up well, but coming here away from home, we knew it was going to be a hard game. Auchinleck, they gave us some shift out there, and they also put in a great shift, but just to come here and go through to the next round is brilliant.”
On playing left-back to accommodate Anthony Ralston in his usual right-back slot, Donovan had no problem rising to the challenge, especially impressive as he seemed to be facing Talbot’s best player down that flank.
“It was good, it’s something new for me,” Donovan continued. “I’m normally playing right-back, and it’s just on the other side, so it’s something different that I need to take into my game. It’s better for me that I can play right-back and left-back, so getting the start out there at left-back, it was brilliant.”
Dundee in the 5th Round of Scottish Cup
Celtic reward for seeing off the lower league opponent on Sunday was to receive a home tie in the 5th Round of the Scottish Cup against Premiership side Dundee, with the match scheduled to be played next month. The full draw is as follows:
Aberdeen v Motherwell
Airdrie v St Mirren
Celtic v Dundee
Dundee United v The Spartans
Dunfermline Athletic v Kelty Hearts
Elgin City v Partick Thistle
theRangers v Stranraer or Queen’s Park
Stenhousemuir v Falkirk
“It’s good it’s at home. We know Dundee are tough. Steven’s got them set up very well. We’ve seen that in the league recently, so for them coming to Celtic Park, we know it’ll be a tough game again, but we just need to dig in again.”
Playing for Martin O’Neill is a dream come true
Martin O’Neill had left Celtic the year before Colby was born but he was well versed on the legendary Celtic manager thanks to his dad who was there to enjoy the wonderful success the Irishman achieved at the club at the first time of asking starting back in the summer of 2000.
“It’s a dream come true for me,” said Donovan of playing in a Martin O’Neill led Celtic side. “My dad used to tell me about the stories about Martin, and then for him to come in, and me to play under him, it’s just, well, words can’t describe it, to be honest.
“But he’s been brilliant with the boys, he’s been great since he came in, in his interim spell, and then for him coming back, it’s just brilliant,” he said.
If only Wilfried Nancy had adopted a similar common sense approach, the league table would look very different today. Those who appointed such the Frenchman should themselves pay a hefty price at the end of this season, especially if Martin can’t salvage the league title. Here’s Colby explaining how MON succeeds by just keeping things simple.
“Since Martin’s come in, he’s just told us to play our game, play how we’ve played for the past years. So, he’s just come in, he’s given us a big confidence boost, and we just need to keep going now. We need to keep winning games.”
Replicating Feyenoord performance in Bologna
Next up is Celtic’s second match against Italian opposition in this season’s Europa League campaign and it’s fair to say that last time around against Roma at Celtic Park is a night to forget or for those who can’t it’s the stuff of nightmares and Nancy’s Kamakaze tactics were ripped to shreds as Roma collected the easiest win of their season. Put it this way, Auchinleck Talbot gave Celtic a tougher game at the weekend than Celtic gave Roma that night thanks to Wilfried Nancy.
Colby was asked if Celtic could repeat the trick in the previous away match in Europe, that time under Martin O’Neill when they went to Rotterdam and defeated Feyenoord 3-1.
“Yeah, definitely. You saw it in Feyenoord, we played them off the pitch, and that’s what we’re going to try and do again, we’re going to go over there with no fear, play with confidence again, and hopefully get the three points.
“Belgrade was brilliant, even Feyenoord, going away there was brilliant. Just to get the start in Europe for the manager’s to put me in, in the starting 11, going over there and playing my game, putting on a show and picking up the point, I know we picked up the point in Belgrade, and in Feyenoord, the three points.
“But it’s brilliant, a confidence boost to go out in Europe, you’re playing against the top players, and to do well against them, that gives you a great confidence boost.”
Sunday Showdown at Tynecastle
Many Celtic supporters are concerned that yet again Celtic has a big European night, this time away from home too, before playing Hearts in the Scottish Premiership. Hopefully a few new arrivals, who won’t be eligible for the Bologna game will be available to contribute at Tynecastle.
“It’s huge, it’s probably the biggest week that we’ve had this season,” Donovan said as he looked ahead to the Sunday showdown. “We know it’s going to be tough, but we’re ready for it.”
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“Brilliant. Everything’s brilliant…”
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Seen Colby on YouTube? –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knYOcaQ-x5o