After the result of last Sunday’s match at Ibrox, this would have been a very happy – if not euphoric – week of training for the Celtic players. A victory over the Ibrox side always does that. Now, the problem for all of them is to come down from cloud nine and get to grips with the next match, Motherwell at Fir Park today.
It should be straightforward, as all the indicators are in Celtic’s favour. To start with, the Hoops are first in the table; the Steelmen down in seventh. 19 games won in contrast to victory in 10 games. 2 games lost for the Glasgow team, 14 lost by the Lanarkshire side. 56 scored and 18 lost as opposed to 34 scored and 39 lost. It would be hard to make a case for anything other than a Celtic win.
And yet, there is always that possibility, that uncertainty that makes team sport so interesting. What if the Motherwell players rise to the challenge?
Is there a possibility that some of the visitors don’t play up to their usual level? Can the Steelmen be as bad as they obviously were against Hamilton last week?
Let’s state the obvious. If both teams play to the level of which they are capable, then the odds are greatly in Celtic’s favour. However, I can clearly recall a meeting between these teams in May 2005 at Fir Park when the chances of a Celtic success were also highly expected.
And we all remember what happened then!
Jim Craig
Blowing the whistle, former referee on Willie Collum’s Ibrox performance
