Brendan Rodgers has started something this season that he hasn’t done in his previous two campaigns. He has allocated the goalkeeping spot in the team for the Betfred Cup ties to Scott Bain while sticking with regular first pick keeper Craig Gordon for Scottish Premiership and European matches.
When The Celtic Star broke the team news ahead of the Quarter Final match at St Johnstone, we got all ten outfield players correct but didn’t pick up on the change in policy re the keeper for this competition.
And so it was on Sunday, that Scott Bain started and it has to be said he had a very decent game and in terms of distribution of the ball from the back, he seems to be the best keeper at the club at this.
It’s likely therefore that Craig Gordon will be back between the sticks at Dens Park tomorrow evening but Brendan Rodgers must have been impressed by Bain’s contribution to Celtic’s semi-final success at the weekend.
The former Dundee keeper, known as ‘Boxer’ to some folk on Tayside after the controversial incident with that club’s former manager, seemed pleased to have played his part at Murrayfield. He’s not really looking too far ahead to the Cup Final against Aberdeen to consider his prospects of keeping his place but surely he will?
“It’s always great to be involved in big occasions like Sunday,” Bain said to the media yesterday.
It doesn’t really matter who plays a long as we win. We’ll worry about who plays in the final when we get there. I’ll just keep working away.
“You can never be sure to play. At a club like Celtic you always when your best team out there. The manager gave me the nod at the weekend but we’ll see what happens.
“He’s just told me on a game by game basis and I’ve been fortunate to be on the winning side and kept my place in the competition. I’ve only lost once at Celtic, Aberdeen in the last game of the season, and it still hurts a wee bit!”
Bain’s debut came at Ibrox on the first Beautiful Sunday and this site got that one as a bit of an exclusive. He played really well as 10 man Celtic came back twice from a goal down to win the match 3-2, effectively producing a knock-out blow to the Ibrox club’s season right there and then. It was appropriate then that Boxer was playing.
“Ibrox might have set the tone. It’s been like that since I came in. Play a game here or there. I was lucky to get a run when I first came on loan last season. It’s a case of getting an opportunity and making the most when the chance comes.”
Looking back to the 3-0 win over Hearts, Bain certainly enjoyed his day at the home of Scottish rugby.
“It was probably the biggest crowd I’ve experienced. It was a great atmosphere to be involved in.
“I didn’t have too much to deal with but you can’t go looking for things to do. It’s a one off game and you need to do the fundamentals right and that will show you are competent and you can deal with the big games.
“There’s pressure when you’ve not played but there’s always pressure at a big club like Celtic. You are playing for a lot of fans across the world. You are also playing for yourself and your teammates so when you get the chance you need to take it.”
Also on The Celtic Star today…
Despite Porto’s £15million bid Ntcham is ‘happy to be at Celtic’…See HERE.
Jim Craig – Brian O’Neill stuns Ibrox with a late Celtic winner…See HERE.
