Celtic are still involved in a 3 way title race for the SPFL title after yesterdays draw at Tynecastle against League leaders Hearts . There is still plenty of football to be played and plenty of points to be won. Martin O’Neill has called the Celtic board to back  him in transfer window before it  shuts.

The clock is ticking for an out of touch Celtic board who have got so much wrong in the past 12 months. Yesterday we saw how little O’Neill has in reserve in this squad due to injuries and lack of vision by the current Celtic board to have the correct structures in place to build from a position of strength.

O’Neill will have also been reminded of how the Forces of Darkness in Scottish Football are doing everything they can to derail Celtic. Yesterday we witnessed referee Stephen McLean give a yellow card to a Celtic player when he was close to the action and yet when John Beaton VAR intervened he reversed his decision to give Auston Trusty a red card. From 2-1 up Celtic then draw the game 2-2 after a late Hearts goal.

Yes Celtic were under pressure for long periods from the home side but it’s always easier to defend with 11 players. The Celtic manager was rightly annoyed with the officials decision. He quoted the laws of the game in his post match interview “A couple of things – first of all, the ball’s not going directly towards goal so the player will have to come round and manoeuvre it to try and get a shot off. And the second thing is, we’ve got cover”

It was refreshing this morning to hear respected former referee, Dermot Gallagher come out and echo Martin O’Neill’s words on Sky Sports Ref Watch.

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes & Host of the Celtic Soul Podcast 

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With a tiny ticket Celtic away allocation for Tynecastle most Celtic fans will have to settle for watching on TV in a mouth watering top of the table clash with Hearts. Tynecastle will be a hostile environment for the Celtic players but with Martin O’Neill now back in charge Celtic have a chance to narrow the gap to 3 points if they can pull off a win. A loss would put Celtic 9 points a drift.

Ten man Celtic put in a big shift in Italy on Thursday night that left all Celtic Fans proud of their efforts. O’Neill man management skills will once again be called upon to get the best out of this bunch of Celtic players.

Hearts have had over a week to prepare for the game and will be confident on their home patch. They were knocked out of the cup last week on penalties at Tynecastle to an inform Falkirk team.

Hearts have beaten Celtic twice this season. Brendan Rodgers left Celtic after the 3-1 defeat back at the end of October at Tynecastle and they visited Celtic Park for Wilfried Nancy’s first game and left Glasgow with a 2-1 win. In between Rodgers and Nancy, O’Neill had steadied the ship now he has to do it all again.

Like Celtic Hearts will be without key players through injury for the 3pm kick off which is live on Sky Sports. Right back Julian Araujo could not play on Thursday and his fresh legs will be a welcome bonus for O’Neill and new signing Tomas Cvancara could make his debut up front.

The league title race also includes the rangers and they take on Dundee at Ibrox at 3pm today. Danny Rohl has done well since he took over the reigns at our city rivals and he will be confident of another 3 points today.

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes & Host of the Celtic Soul Podcast

 

10 man Celtic had to dig deep in the second half of the game tonight in Italy. It was backs against the wall for almost all of the second half. Celtic manager Martin O’Neill will have asked all the Celtic players to dig deep and dig deep they did. Auston Trusty put in a man of the match shift and Liam Scales was solid beside him.

I think before the game we would have took the draw away in Italy. But we thought a little different during the first half. We were thinking is this the day we win away?

Reo Hatate scored the opening Celtic goal early in the game after a mistake by the Bologna goalkeeper gifted the ball to Daizen Maeda who passed it to his fellow country man to slot it home into an empty net. Q the early celebrations.

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Two yellow cards and red card ended Hatate’s game after a half an hour or so. Martin O’Neill was furious and he also picked up a yellow for his protests. Celtic’s second goal on the stroke of half time by Trusty on the back post was the perfect way to end the half.

As expected Bologna came out and put Celtic under a lot of pressure with wave after wave of attacks for almost all of the second half. They were rewarded with 2 goals but the Celtic players put their bodies on the line to secure a good away point.

Next Thursday night against Utrecht Celtic Park should be rocking and three points could be enough to get us into the knock out stage of the tournament.

Before that we have to go to Tynecastle on Sunday to play League leaders Hearts. The Celtic players have not got much recovery time and the home side will have fresh legs in what is a must win game for Celtic.

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes & Host of the Celtic Soul Podcast

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Martin O’Neill knows how big of a task he has to get a result in Italy this evening against Bologna. Hopefully he can inspire the Celtic players and we can relive that great night in Rotterdam again. The win over Feyenoord was the highlight of this season so far.

Celtic have still to confirm the signing of Thomas Cvancara who O’Neill was quick to quash talk of him being a target man at yesterdays press conference.

The Celtic manager like all Celtic fans are living in hope of some new first team ready players coming in to give him better options ahead of Sunday’s game v Hearts.

O’Neill was asked about Celtic competing in Europe and he was spot on when he addressed the question and the financial gap between the Scottish League and EPFL.

That is why it has been so frustrating this season to watch Celtic throw away the chance to play in the Champions League and the financial riches it brings.

Sebastian Tounekti  who scored a cracker on Sunday joined O’Neill at the press conference and another goal this evening would be very welcome.

Kick off tonight at the Renato Dall/Ara in Italy is 5:45pm Glasgow time. The game is live on TNT Sports 2.

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes Celtic Fanzine and Host of the Celtic Soul Podcast

I have been checking Celtic official website each and every day to see if we have finally signed a striker. There is still nothing official but last night my phone lit up with an image of two gentlemen unknown to me.

One was football agent David Nehoda and the other was his client 25 year old striker Thomas Cvancara sitting on an Aeroplane bound for Glasgow.

We are told he is currently in Glasgow having a medical at Celtic before joining on six month loan from Borussia Monchengladbach with an option to buy if things work out for him in the Eastend of Glasgow.

No doubt the transfer window will be one of the topics of debate for travelling Celtic fans on their way to Italy for the Bologna game. European adventures are always made up of Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Airport and Pub check ins on the socials making me jealous as I am not travelling to this one.

It looks like I won’t be heading for Edinburgh on Sunday either after receiving news that I was unsuccessful in the ballot for tickets. It was always going to be a wait and see type game with the ticket allocation so small.

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes & Host of the Celtic Soul Podcast