BRENDAN WHO? Brendan who? Big Kev was saying to everyone as he made his way up to the back of the supporters bus behind the Jock Stein stand.
Neil Lennon answered his doubters once and for all as his aggressive, attacking football blew St Johnstone away in the opening day of the new Scottish Premiership season.
Celtic scored seven goals, all from open play and could easily have gone into double figures. The football at times was sensational, and in the opening stages the debut Bhoy Hatem Abd Elhamed looked an exceedingly competent addition to the side, on three occasions getting past his man to cross from the bye-line only to see Edouard twice and Christie miss glorious chances.
But the goal was coming and it was young Mikey Johnston was twisted and turned before firing his shot into the far corner with around nine minutes played. There would be no stopping Celtic now.
Ryan Christie then stepped into the spotlight with a stunning hat trick, two of his long range efforts being scored before the interval.
The St Johnstone players ran up the tunnel, glad of the rest bite and it would have been no surprise if they decided to call it a day and sulk back to Perth with their tails firmly between their legs.
Celtic could easily have scored seven in that first 45 minutes. “Brendan? Brendan who?’ Big Kev was saying as he queued for his pie.
It looked like St Johnstone had weathered the storm and Celtic were prepared to drop down a few gears with the Champions League trio to Romania in mind, but Ryan Christie has other ideas. Denied the chance of a hat-trick against Nomme Kalju when he was substituted, the midfielder was keen to put that right and unleashed an unstoppable effort that Zander Clark had no chance of stopping.
That made it four and as he knew himself it was time to rest up for Cluj on Wednesday. ‘Glad to see the back of him,” thought the 50 or so visiting supporters as Olivier Ntcham came on to replace the hat-trick hero.
But unfortunately for the Saints supporters, Celtic’s two Frenchmen combined beautifully with Edouard, who was having a superb game, sending an inch perfect through ball for Ntcham to blast past Clark at his near post to score with his first touch.
Edouard deserved a goal and it duly arrived then after replacing Mikey Johnston, Leigh Griffiths made it seven in the closing stages.
Magnificent Celtic, just Magnificent.
“There’s a lot to be said fir spending every night in Tennents and writing yer team sheet on a beermat,” ‘MCG’ said on Twitter.
‘Brendan? Brendan who?’ Big Kev said as he made his way from the bus and into the pub.
It’s going to be some season, in Lenny we trust. The Green Brigade set the tone with their Coronation Cup themed Display and the atmosphere was bouncing all afternoon as all sections of the ground joined in the signing and the huddles. It was a great day in Paradise.
Man of the Match – Ryan Christie
