DAVIE MOYES has revealed that he has an ambition to return to his home in Glasgow to manage Celtic, the club he played for in the early 1980s.
Speaking on the Peter and Roughie Football Show the ex-Manchester United manager said: ‘I’ve always thought that some day. I always think you have to be ready to manage Celtic, you have to be prepared and ready for it.
‘It’s a worldwide club so you have to be prepared and ready when you go to Celtic.
‘One day, I would say definite but I’d always say there’s always a chance. Scotland is my home, Glasgow is my home and it always will be.
‘I’m out just now trying to find out about how can I win a European trophy? How can I do well in Europe?
Meanwhile the current Celtic manager is beginning to realise that you have to beat more than the opposition to progress in Europe, judging by the awful performance from the match officials in Milan last night that effectively ended Celtic’s eventual European campaign. Talking to the assembled media this afternoon Ronny Deila said: ‘I am so proud of the boys. We put on a very good performance at the San Siro.
‘We had the game where we wanted it until we got the red card but we showed that we can compete at this level.
‘We have talked about progress at the club before and I have always said we will get those answers in Europe. I think we showed that we have really, really improved.
‘This is just the start. We have to know why we are getting so much better and do it even more. It is all about the details. Everything is very prepared every day. We are doing the small things better and if we do that we are going to get even better.’
And club captain reflected on the frustration within the Celtic squad after last night’s defeat saying: ‘It was a little bit disappointing but we did ourselves proud. It’s hard to be a referee and get decisions right. At the end of the day, we deserved more out of the game and we didn’t get it.
‘It was frustrating going down to 10 men with 60 minutes left to play and it was hard for the lads. But we worked hard and kept trying to do what we have been practicing and we managed to keep the ball for parts of the game, which was encouraging.
‘We’ve done really well. We coped with Inter home and away and it shows we’re getting better every game as it comes, and we still have some huge games coming up.
‘Every game is now the biggest game of the season and we have to win every game possible. The next four or five games are crucial for us.”
Lying in wait for Celtic are title contenders Aberdeen who have had a week to prepare for the Sunday noon showdown with the Champions. At his press conference today Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes said: ‘After Sunday’s game there is (sic) still 33 points available so from my point of view, win lose or draw, there is still a lot to play for.
‘For me talk of must win games comes after the split.
‘We are well aware of the significance of the game, of course we are, it is a real opportunity for us. All we are concentrating on is putting in a performance that will give us a chance to get the win. For me it is the same three points that was available last weekend. We are well aware with 12 games to go there is not a lot of room for error but there is still a lot of football to be played.
‘I feel we have given decent accounts of ourselves the times we have went down to play at Celtic Park. Also there was nothing much between the sides in the two meetings so far this season. They were the better team for an hour down there and I thought we were slightly the better team in the game at Pittodrie.
‘Ultimately we have lost both. Mainly down to a lack of concentration as opposed to a lack of a performance. That highlights the need for us to do the job properly. I am confident whoever we are playing that we will bring a performance. This week however we need to also bring the organisation and the concentration that is required for when you play against good players and Celtic have good players.
‘The aim is to win. We recognise that some games are more difficult to win that others. We recognise that we are going to have to try and impose ourselves on the game. We accept it will be a tough game for us but equally it will be a tough game for them.
‘I am confident my team are ready.
‘We have a lot of strong performers at the moment. We have a lot of players who are playing at a very good level and that is pleasing. The players are very focused.
‘I am confident we can go and win there. I know I have a team who believe that as well.
‘The challenge is to prove that you can keep handling the expectation when you play at Aberdeen and hopefully we can do that this weekend.
‘Team news is that everyone who played last week is fit. We are still without Nicky Low, Jonny Hayes and Russell Anderson. Ash Taylor played 90 minutes for the U20s on Wednesday and he will be in the squad.
‘I am very pleased to where we have progressed to over the past 20 months. Tony and I wanted a team with energy, passion and belief as well as ability. I feel I have a team that gives us a chance for winning every week. I like watching my team.
‘There is more significance to this game and these are the games everyone enjoys.’
Celtic, after the enormous effort in the San Siro on Thursday night, playing for an hour with ten men and all the traveling involved may be there for the taking from an Aberdeen point of view.
But Ronny Delia’s team can run forever and with him calling on the Celtic support to turn up in numbers the crowd could play an important role in roaring Celtic onto victory.
