Celtic Team for Hampden – Scotty Sinclair, Celtic’s medal hunter

SCOTTY SINCLAIR, like Brendan Rodgers has only ever known success at Hampden and the Englishman is fully focused on maintaining that 100% win record at the national stadium tomorrow afternoon.

The winger got the all important goal on Thursday night against Rosenborg and will be looking to add to his tally for the season against Aberdeen. A few weeks ago he was a regular on the substitutes bench but he’s now firmly re-established himself in the side and even with other players returning from injury – captain Scott Brown and Olivier Ntcham are both available for selection – it is most unlikely that Sinclair will drop out of the starting eleven.

Indeed other than the pre-announced change in the goalkeepers so we know that Scott Bain starts and Craig Gordon will be on the bench – it’s more than likely that the ten outfield players who have rested up after beating Rosenborg will start against Aberdeen.

That would make the Celtic team for the Betfred Cup Final as follows:

Scott Bain

Mikael Lustig, Dedryck Boyata, Filip Benkovic, Kieran Tierney

Callum McGregor, Ryan Christie

James Forrest, Tom Rogic, Scotty Sinclair

Odsonne Edouard.

James Forrest and Mikael Lustig both picked up knocks in Trondheim but are fine to play.

We know that Craig Gordon will be on the bench and he is likely to be joined by Scott Brown, Olivier Ntcham, Leigh Griffiths, Jack Hendry, Jonny Hayes and either Cristian Gamboa or Emilio Izaguirre.

Scotty Sinclair though isn’t taking it for granted that he will be selected to start – even after scoring the winner on Thursday night.

“We have the players in the squad which allow the manager to make the changes he wants to and everyone who steps in is good enough to play in that position,” he said.

“Being back in the team, and the way the formation has gone back to the way it used to be, it has been perfect for myself,” said to the media.

“It has been great to get a couple of goals, and get back into form.

“I don’t think it was much of a deal. But because I wasn’t playing as much as I had been, people could say that my form had dipped. But you can’t have form if you are not playing. Once I was back playing, I was back doing as well as I can, and I was back in the team.

“Because my standards were set so high when I first came I can tell now that everybody had expectations of me that were so high. As long as I just keep getting up there and creating.”

A win tomorrow would give Sinclair and his manger their seventh straight honour in Scottish football and that certainly is a motivation for the former Aston Villa man.

“It would make sure we get another medal under our belts and keep moving forward from there. It is definitely important. It sets up your season.

“It is basically the start of the season so once you get that first trophy under your belt it always sets you up for the next ones.

“Of course you can’t win a treble without one. But I don’t think we are looking that far ahead. We are only looking one trophy at a time and take it from there.

“Every final you reach is a special moment but you need to make it more special by winning it.

“I don’t normally get nervous beforehand. Some players are different but I just go out there and try to do what I would normally do in a league game or any match.”

Christmas Offer! 3 books for £20, middle one signed by Bertie Auld! Click on image to order.

Also on The Celtic Star this morning…

Sleepy Bhoys! A well deserved long lie in Trondheim for Celtic stars…See HERE.

Celtic’s League Cup Wins, No.16: The first of many for Brendan…See HERE.

Jim Craig – Tommy Coyne got two and Charlie Nicholas one…See HERE.

Why not try David Potter’s League Cup Quiz and test yourself with these 17 multiple choice questions about Celtic’s 17 victories in this cup competition…go on, have a go!

About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor, who has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

Comments are closed.