Deila backs Celtic to progress

An anti-Gordon agenda was promoted by certain online frothers because, when at Hearts, the keeper had gone up for a last-minute corner against Celtic with his team trailing by a goal in a game that was of little outcome to the Tynecastle team but meant everything to a side vying with Rangers for the title.

“They like to pass the ball and there is good movement throughout their team”.

With van Dijk also a rock defensively to secure a crucial clean sheet, Celtic have the upper hand in the knife-edge tie.

Celtic’s Nadir Ciftci has a shot on goal.

Celtic’s start to the second half revealed more zest if not more potency.

“We’ve got an terrible lot of hard work to make that a reality but that’s why I get out of bed every morning, come through here and work as hard as I possibly can to make those things happen”.

“I should hope he’s not happy as wveryone should be mad if they don’t play”.

Meanwhile, despite continued speculation linking defender Virgil Van Dijk with a move to the English Premier League, Deila said there were now no bids for his players. “We had possession and pressure on them, but we have to turn that into chances”.

However, Gordon feels there can be no excuse for the Hoops to start badly this time around and stressed that they need to begin their defence of the league title strongly.

“We have speed in the team to help us counter-attack and hard-working players in midfield”. “I gave the guy my shirt – I don’t hold a grudge”. I liked their game.

“There is no reason why we can’t but what we do know that any time you go there you have to bet at your best”.

While some ballboys are not big fans of coming into contact with a top footballer (that lad at Swansea really didn’t like being touched by Eden Hazard’s boot), the boy at Celtic was delighted just to be involved.

THE flag unfurling ceremony at Celtic Park this afternoon will mark the passing of a year in which Craig Gordon has been raised to the status of standard bearer by supporters of the Scottish champions.

Keeper Craig Gordon will be a key man for the Hoops in Baku next week and he penned a new deal until 2018 yesterday.

Stokes signed a new three-year contract in 2013 which runs until next summer but is due to stand trial on charges of assaulting an Elvis impersonator in a nightclub.