articles: May 2008 Archives

Two weeks ago I cautioned against the dangers of post-adrenalin crash after a big win.  We had beaten Rangers and were all as high as kites, but then had a bone-shaker at home to Aberdeen, sixth placed team in the SPL.

Tomorrow we play Motherwell away, third top of the SPL on merit, who won at Celtic Park last month, on merit.

We wiped the floor with them eight days later when purpose returned to Celtic, but each few days this month will bring opportunity and danger in equal measure.

Celtic and their vocal travelling support will need absolute determination if they are to set an eight point marker for the chasing pack.  It's time for tunnel vision and focus on the job in hand, from all of us; 21 days and three games left.

The month of May is remarkably clear for Celtic; 22 days with three games, two post-match rest days and 17 training days but there will not be a much time to catch your breath.  The team in second place have league games on five days we don't, so when we're not playing there will be plenty to watch out for.

Rangers play eight games in the same period (including tonight's), with six days of post-match rest, one of travel and only seven training days.

Celtic must double and redouble their efforts against Motherwell, Hibernian and Dundee United, but the most important of these is against Motherwell on Saturday.

Find focus and rise to the challenge Celtic; it's there for you.

This season started well; we were comfortably ahead and short odds for the league before trouble arrived, but the dip in form coincided with the complete change in training environment and routine when Celtic moved to Lennoxtown in October,

Before they moved to Lennoxtown Celtic had played nine league games, winning seven, with solid European performances against Milan, Spartak Moscow (twice) and a single reversal in Donetsk.

After Celtic started training in the new Lennoxtown facilities results changed.  They won only five of their next ten league games; injuries also started to mount up after all that new gym kit was brought into use.  At the time I remember Gordon Strachan telling us about the extra training the players were putting in on their own; this sounded like it could only be a good thing, but extra training means a change in preparation, rest and nutrition would also be needed.

Measuring this change and getting it right for a couple of players would be possible, but if a large portion of the squad all changed their routine at the same time, it would be impossible for the support staff to monitor and correct any imbalances. 

With hindsight this doesn't seem surprising; new training kit, new routines to make use of all those facilities and then we get injuries.  And then we drop points.