Celtic v Bodo/Glimt – Goalkeeper Nikita Haikin can’t wait for his taste of Paradise

Bodo Glimt goalkeeper Nikita Haikin took a punt on a Norwegian team from The Arctic Circle three years ago and he hasn’t looked back. As reported in the National, Bodo/Glimt’s Russian ‘keeper is now looking forward to experiencing something he has only witnessed on TV, a full Celtic Park, and he’s hoping a good performance will put him in the shop window for a return to British football having been rejected by Bradford City and Stevenage Town after being released by Chelsea as a youngster.

Nikita Haikin of Bodo Glimt shows his dejection at the end of the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round match between AC Milan and Bodo Glimt at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 24, 2020 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images)

“We feel great. We are looking ahead to a big game against Celtic. Celtic is a very well-known team and I was personally very happy to get them. It was one of the teams I really wanted to play against.

“Unfortunately I haven’t been to Celtic Park or Scotland, so it will be a great opportunity for me to see what Scottish football is like and really see the culture. I’ve heard a lot about Celtic Park and have watched the derbies against (the)Rangers. I watched some of the most recent derby. It was a decent performance, they’re a good team.

“They’re the best team in Scotland along with (the)Rangers, and all you can say is that the atmosphere is awesome. I’m looking forward to playing there. You see the fans and what it means to them.”

Bodo/Glimt seem very keen to play the happy tourist card ahead of their visit to Celtic on Thursday night, but you can be guaranteed Nikita Haikin’s charm offensive alongside that of his captain, Ulrik Saltnes is simply designed to draw Celtic into a false sense of security. However Celtic won’t be falling for any of this.

Bodo/Glimt are a good side, after all you don’t draw in Rome and defeat a Jose Mourinho side 6-1 at home, unless you are a fully focussed team concentrating on the job in hand, rather than soaking up the atmosphere – and that will be no different at Parkhead than it was in the Olimpico in Rome.

4th November 2021; Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy; Europa Conference League football Roma v Bodo/Glimt: Nikita Haikin of Bodo Glimt celebrates his teams draw. Photo ActionPlus AllShotLive

So far, we’ve been told by their manager that pre-season preparations haven’t gone to plan, their captain has indicated they are an ordinary bunch of players who lucked out with a good manager, and we’re also being told the double Norwegian Champions have sold their best players and it will take time to integrate the new ones.

You have to admire the consistent message in playing down their chances ahead of Thursday night’s last 16 Europa Conference first leg tie, but in truth it’s all just a consistent narrative the Bodo/Glimt camp are trying to spin. After the Norwegians won their first title, they did the same thing, they sold their best players but they were still wily enough to bank the money and reinvest it wisely – wisely enough to end up beating Roma at home.

As such expect a well-prepared and fine team with solid European experience behind them to visit Celtic Park on Thursday night. The whole happy clapping tourist charade is just an attempt to put Celtic off guard, try and turn the home support against the team, if the match is in the balance and nick a reasonable result on Thursday, before setting an away leg trap on a plastic pitch in the Arctic Circle.

It’s a nice try but neither the Celtic players or the Celtic support will be under any illusions as to what to expect from Bodo Glimt, no matter how much smoke they try and blow up our backsides.

Niall J

About Author

As a Bellshill Bhoy I was taken to my first Celtic game in the summer of 1987. It was Billy McNeill’s return to Celtic Park as manager and Celtic lost 5-1 to Arsenal . I thought I was a jinx, I think my Grandfather might have thought the same. It was the finest gift anyone ever gave me when he walked me through Parkhead's gates.

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