We have all been aware of our most two pressing problems this season have been defence and attack, so it is nice to see that Tony has been aware of it also. Defenders Jos Hooiveld and Thomas Rogne were then brought in, Jos looking to go right into the first team with Thomas marked as one for the future. The Danish penalty box striker Morten Rasmussen was next to appear and as we have seen he does what it says on the tin, score.

One could argue that we would have been happy with just that but Tony kept dropping hints that he wasn’t finished as yet. The press as usual were linking us with anyone who had ever kicked a football so it was quite difficult to see who would be coming next, if anyone.

Today has been quite hectic with a defender and three attackers. Dutch left back Edson Braafheid joining from Bayern Munich, striker Diomansy Kamara joining from Portsmouth, Paul Slane joining from Motherwell and the Pièce de résistance Robbie Keane from Tottenham Hotspur.

That’s a total of Eight players, which is beyond any of our wildest dreams for this window. Way to go Celtic.

Ki Sung Yueng is a South Korean international who was voted Asian Young Footballer of the Year 2009.

Jos Hooiveld, Finnish defender of the Year: 2007, 2008 and Swedish Player of the Year: 2009.

Thomas Rogne quoted as being “the best young talent to come out of Norway in the past ten years” I don’t know if this is an omen but he has been given the number 25 shirt, previously worn by club legends Shunsuke Nakamura and Lubomir Moravcik.

Morten Rasmussen, Danish International.

Edson Braafheid, Dutch International.

Diomansy Kamara, Senegal International.

Paul Slane, future prospect.

Robbie Keane, Republic of Ireland International.

Not a bad bit of shopping if I don’t say so myself.

Hail, Hail.

Serenity

McCourt has struggled with injury and selection since his arrival from Derry 15 months ago, but he made his mark at the new St. Mirren Park with his second goalscoring performance in the space of four days.

                                              McCourt & McDonald celebrate Celtic’s first goal                

Celtic controlled the game straight from the start, with Chris Killen and McCourt both firing over from distance in the opening 13 minutes.

To be honest, though, there appeared to be a certain flatness about the match until McCourt opened the scoring midway through the half.

The Northern Ireland international, who had shown glimpses of his skill beforehand, picked the ball up after Hoops midfielder Scott Brown had robbed Stephen McGinn in the middle of the park.

He skipped past five St Mirren challenges on his way into the box before rifling an unstoppable angled-shot past Paul Gallacher from 18 yards.

                                              Shaun Maloney scored his third goal of the seaon

Celtic almost extended their lead in the 35th minute when Andreas Hinkel’s left-footed drive from distance forced Gallacher to make a decent save down at his left-hand post.

St. Mirren tried to up the tempo after this, as Billy Mehmet’s shot from the edge of the area took a deflection and flew out for a corner to the relief of Artur Boruc.

The Buddies started the second half in a more positive mode but still Boruc remained a spectator and the game soon returned to the slackness which was all to evident for most of the first period.

                                                               St. Mirren: No cutting edge

In the 66th minute Boruc had to react quickly for almost the first time in the game, clutching safely as Mehmet’s cross-cum-shot made its way through a ruck of players.

Niall McGinn replaced the fatigued McCourt and 15 minutes from the end St. Mirren breached the Celtic defence for the first time when Mehmet played in Dorman at the edge of the box.

The Buddies’ substitute hit the byline before cutting the ball back to Craig Dargo, whose goalbound shot from 10 yards was blocked by Glen Loovens with the Parkhead men scurrying to clear their lines.

                                                              Tony Mowbray: Not best pleased

Celtic kept up the pressure though and eventually killed of the hosts challenge when Brown’s looping cross from the right found its way to the back post, and Maloney delightfully curled his shot back across goal and past Gallacher to clinch victory.

It had been a subdued performance from Celtic though, and afterwards Tony Mowbray concluded, “There was some poor decision making and poor performances from some players, if we’re honest. They’ve been told they’ve got to do a lot better than that if we’re going to find consistency throughout the season.”

Celtic have now established an early four point lead at the top table, and with the first Old Firm match of the season only a couple of days away there is already added pressure on Rangers to peg back their rivals.

Shaun Maloney and Marc-Antoine Fortune both bagged a brace as Celtic brushed St Johnstone aside and surged to the top in of the SPL at Parkhead on Saturday.

Fortune scored for the first time his big money move from Nancy in the 21st minute, but after Shaun Maloney made it 2-0, Saints striker Collin Samuel pulled a goal back after an error by Gary Caldwell.

Further goals from Maloney, Fortune and Scott McDonald after the break secured the points before Jody Morris scored a consolation for the visitors.

While Celtic boss Tony Mowbray will be glad to see Fortune get off the mark, and good displays from widemen Maloney and Aiden McGeady, it was nevertheless another game that Caldwell will want to forget.

Celtic made a slack start to the game and in the 14th minute they had midfielder Scott Brown to thank for a wonderful saving tackle at the edge of the Celtic box after Chris Millar had sent Filipe Morais racing through.

However, in the 21st minute the home fans got what they wanted when Fortune opened his account for the Hoops.

Maloney tore down the left and when his precise cut-back came into the Saints box, Fortune calmly sidefooted the ball into the corner from around 14 yards.

Celtic were on top and Saints goalkeeper Main had to concede a corner when blocking McDonald’s angled drive with the visiting side eventually emerging unscathed.

But the respite was only temporary and in the 28th minute Celtic defender Andreas Hinkel linked up with McGeady down the right.

When Hinkel’s cross came over, Maloney was allowed to rise unchallenged to bullet a header past Main from 10 yards.

That goal seemed to sap the Perth men of most of their belief but in the 37th minute they were handed a lifeline when Samuel pounced on Caldwell’s mistake to reduce the deficit.

Caldwell tried to head Main’s long clearance across to Loovens but failed to connect properly and the ball fell to the Saints striker who quickly rifled a wonderful low drive from 25 yards past Boruc.

McGeady almost repaired the damage less than a minute into the second half when he worked a one-two with Fortune down the right but his angled drive was parried by Main for a corner which the visitors survived.

Celtic went up through the gears and soon had the points secure.

In the 53rd minute Maloney grabbed his second goal with a powerful drive from the edge of the penalty area and a minute later McGeady slipped in Fortune and the former Nancy striker buried his shot from 14 yards past Main.

That was the match over but moments later Fortune missed a great chance to grab a hat-trick when he somehow stabbed Hinkel’s long cross to the back post wide of the target from around four yards.

In the 67th minute, following a good cross from Saints substitute Martin Hardie, Boruc made a decent save from Samuel’s header but there was no way back for the Perth men.

In the 74th minute McDonald made it 5-1 when he headed in Danny Fox’s cross from close range after the former Coventry left-back had taken Maloney’s pass from a corner.

However, two minutes later, after some indecision in the Celtic defence, St Johnstone midfielder Morris somehow managed to burrow his way into the box and trundle a shot in off the post.

It’s been an excellent domestic start for the Hoops, but things will probably be a little trickier against Hibs next weekend

The victory puts Celtic into the new final qualifying stage where they are guaranteed to face a tough two legged tie against either Arsenal, Lyon, Stuttgart, Panathinaikos or Atletico Madrid for a place in the 32 team group stage.

Following a disappointing 1-0 defeat at Celtic Park in the reverse fixture, history was against the Scottish club as they attempted to overturn a first leg European defeat for the first time. Added to the fact that Celtic had not won away in Europe for 23 matches meant that the odds looked very much against Tony Mowbray’s side. However, Samaras’ controlled late finish dumped the Russians, who are half way through their domestic season, firmly out of the competition.

Samaras - Key goal put Celtic through!

The game started fairly evenly although Dinamo, buoyed by the return of Captain Dmitry Khokolov, had the first effort on goal with the dangerous Aleksandr Kerzhakov testing Artur Boruc with an instant curling shot that was gathered fairly comfortably.

However, despite knowledge of Celtic’s travel sickness over the years, Dinamo approached the first half in a very negative manner allowing Celtic to put them under pressure whilst they looked for an elusive counter attack.

In a first half of very few chances, the all important goal to bring the tie level on aggregate came in the 44th minute. A fantastic deep looping cross from Andreas Hinkel on the right found the unmarked Scott McDonald who simply nodded home past goalkeeper Gabulov to give Celtic the crucial breakthrough.

Nevertheless, a moment of slackness almost cost Celtic before the interval as the captain Khokhlov’s low shot from a corner saw Hinkel clear off the near post as Boruc was beaten.

The second half proved much more entertaining as the Parkhead men refused to sit on their lead whilst Dinamo were proving much more of a threat themselves.

The home side caused a moment of panic in the Celtic box in the 52nd minute as Svezhov went down clutching his face claiming a penalty after contesting a cross allowing Dmitry Kombarov to sneak in at the back post and narrowly drive a low shot wide of Boruc’s left hand post.

It was Kombarov again in the thick of the action moments later as the midfielder swung in a corner which was met by the head of his twin brother Kirill Kombarov. However, Hinkel again was the saviour with another clearance off the line as Tony Mowbray looked on nervously. Nevertheless, as the tension mounted, it was Celtic who looked to stamp their authority on proceedings as McDonald shot narrowly wide from distance in the 62nd minute.

Hinkel - two goalline clearances kept Celtic in the tie!

With the game drifting to extra time, Celtic had a fabulous chance to win it in the 89th minute as the driving influence of substitute Scott Brown allowed Shaun Maloney a passage into the penalty area but the striker’s prod from close range was blocked by the goalkeeper’s leg.

However in the 91st minute, against all expectations, an aimless long ball forward found Samaras on the left of the penalty area. The Greek striker weaved his way through three defenders before perfectly finishing past the outstretched Gabulov in the bottom right hand corner for his first European goal for the club.

The goal sparked joyous celebrations as the players and substitutes piled on top of the former Manchester City striker as Celtic memorably ended their European away hoodoo with a vital bank balancing 2-1 aggregate victory.

Celtic head into tomorrow nights match against Dinamo Moscow with history and form very much weighted heavily against them. Never before have they managed to turn around a first leg home defeat in Europe. Add to that Celtic’s horrendous form away from home and the 1-0 advantage in Dinamo’s favour almost makes this look a foregone conclusion.

Awaiting the Celts will be the hostile 36,540 Dinamo Stadium. The host’s have failed to win the Russian Premier Division in over 30 years and are yet to compete in the Champions League since the introduction of the current format. These stats will be enough to have them more than motivated for Celtic’s arrival. They currently lie fifth domestically and will be boosted by the return of captain, Dmitri Khokhlov, who was suspended from the first leg. One player the Bhoys will have to keep tabs on is playmaker, Alexander Kerzhakov, who ran the game for long periods in Parkhead.

Celtic go into the match without the injured Stephen McManus and Barry Robson. However, Scott Brown is slowly returning to fitness after playing an hour of Saturday’s match against Sunderland. The midfielder was Celtic’s talisman last season and is likely to partner Landry N’Guemo in the centre of the park. This will mean that Massimo Donati should drop to the bench and the only other change from last week’s game could be Danny Fox replacing Lee Naylor at left-back.

Despite losing last week, Celtic did create a number of scoring opportunities and will have to go against their natural away instincts, by attacking Dinamo. With Fortune, McDonald, McGeady and Maloney all set to start, the visitors will definitely have a creative element about them. Brown’s surging box-to-box runs will also be key to unsettling the home side, but with the midfielder only back from injury it remains to be seen how much pitch time he’ll be allowed.

Unfortunately for Celtic though, the damage to their Champions League dream was done at the end of last season and in the tie’s first leg. To emerge from Moscow with that dream still intact, Celtic will have to reverse all recent trends from their fixtures on the road, not to mention beat a side that is already halfway through their domestic campaign. The winners move on to the final qualifying round of the competition and with a £12million bounty for progression to the group stage, there is a lot at stake for both clubs. Dinamo have an inaugural Champions League berth available and under Celtic’s current circumstances, you’re probably better off putting your money on the Muscovites for this one.

Prediction: Dinamo Moscow 2 Celtic 0
Kick off: 5pm

In years to come the history books will take over and tell us of how the Gordon Strachan era was a time of boom for the Celtic family. The young will hear of our three-in-a-row and a couple of European nights when the continent’s elite left Parkhead defeated with a ringing in their ears from the most intimidating atmosphere west of Kabul. Older folk will bleat about how the esteemed Strachan reduced the quality of football on view, was poor in the transfer market and fortunate to succeed given the quality of our nearest and dearest.

However, in the midst of the great “history doesn’t lie” versus the “play football the Glasgow Celtic way” debate, there will always be one constant that remains universal amongst the Strachanites and the anti-Strachanites. It went by the nickname “Naka” and had a left foot that could carve a masterpiece more spectacular than Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel.

Born in the Land of the Rising Sun, Shunsuke Nakamura was playing football competitively from the age of five with his local side Misono FC. He made gradual progress through various youth ranks and eventually signed professional forms with Yokohama Marinos in 1997. Naka spent five years with Marinos and won the J-League’s Most Valuable Player award in the year 2000.

This was the year he also made his international bow and helped Japan win the Asian Cup. Quickly establishing a reputation of playing in the centre of the park or on the left, Naka attracted the interest of Italian side Reggina. After a successful loan period, he moved to the Scudetto for a fee of around £2million. Prior to the transfer Naka had faced the heartbreaking decision of being left out of the 2002 World Cup squad. Manager, Philip Troussier, preferred a rigid defensive set-up and thought he lacked the physique to play the central midfield role.

At Reggina Naka made a bright start scoring regularly after been handed the number 10 shirt. However, injury often blighted his time there. The side barely staved off relegation in his three seasons at the club and in 2005 the Japanese genius decided to make “Paradise” his new home.

Linked with moves to La Liga and the Bundesliga, in the end it was Strachan’s perseverance that won Nakamura’s signature. He made his debut in a 2-0 victory over Dundee United and Celtic fans had witnessed the dawn of a new star. Creativity, skill and a free-kick to die for; Scottish football had found its best player of the next four years.

With Shaun Maloney having the season of his life on the left and Celtic already strong in the middle of the park, Naka reverted to the right hand side. Being left-footed had no bearing for the Japanese star, as he’d attract defenders to him with his first touch and leave them in a Chris Waddle-esque daze with his second. Celtic romped to the championship and the League Cup in his first season, with Naka’s role as prominent as any.

If Naka’s debut season had been a success, his second was when he began to write himself into Celtic folklore. A sublime free-kick at Old Trafford saw him score on his Champions League debut against Manchester United, becoming the first Japanese player to score in the competition. He followed that up with the first hat-trick of his career against Dundee United. Then, in November 2006, United were the victims again as a sumptuous free-kick saw Celtic qualify from their Champions League group stage for the first time in their history. Eventually, Celtic lost out to AC Milan in the European Cup, but Naka won the League for the Bhoys with yet another free-kick in April against Kilmarnock. The Scottish Cup was won weeks later and Celtic’s domination of Scottish football was total. Nakamura went on to win the Players Player of the Year award and the Scottish Football Writers’ Association player of the year award.

If ever a players’ ability could be said to be getting to the competition, its when they begin to start singing offensive chants against the player. As Rangers seemlingly looked as though they were going to march to the title in the 07/08 season, their fans began a campaign that alleged to Naka’s consumption of dogs. The real reason behind the chants, of course, was his nationality. Despite that particular dish being of Korean descent, it wasn’t as if Rangers fans were going to let a completely different country mix up their views on international cuisine. Perhaps it was a meal they wanted to partake in themselves, maybe it was geographical naievity or most likely trademark stupidity. Either way, Naka hit back with a 30 yard daisycutter in the second last Old Firm of the season. The strike helped switch the momentum of the title race in Celtic’s favour and they were once again crowned champions of Scotland.

Since suffering the heartbreak of missing out on the World Cup, Nakamura also became an integral part of the Japanese national side under Zico. He had won his second Asian Cup in 2004, also taking the Most Valuable Player award. He was instrumental in helping Japan qualify for World Cup 06 in Germany, where they went out in the first round.

His final season with Celtic was tainted as they through away the League championship and he eventually signed for Espanyol on a Bosman.

Whether it be by coincidence or irony, Naka arrived and departed Celtic in the same season’s as Strachan. When the latter’s legacy is defined at the club, it is Nakamura who will stand at the forefront of those successes. With his trusty left peg and Oriental charm, Naka brought sulubrious football to “Paradise” and worldwide exposure to the Celtic brand. “Hail Hail”! Shunsuke Nakamura.

Tony Mowbray’s Celtic tenure got off to the worst possible start with a one goal defeat against Dinamo Moscow at Celtic Park. The Glasgow sides Champions League hopes now hang by a thread and a turnaround of epic proportions will be required in order for Celtic to progress.

The goal arrived as early as the seventh minute and it was the excellent, Alexander Kerzhakov who was the provider. The playmaker picked the ball up on the left and flighted a wonderful pass into the six yard box for Alexander Kokorin to score under the legs of Arthur Boruc.

Boruc had already made a fine save from Luke Wilshire and Celtic had failed to heed the warning signs. The early goal was the perfect platform the visitors needed to set out their stall.

Celtic slowly began to control possession and out of the blue two gilt-edged opportunities presented themselves to Marc-Antoine Fortune. First, he failed to connect with a pinpoint Aiden McGeady cross. And seconds later shot wide from three yards after Shaun Maloney had opened the Dinamo defence.

If ever a side was reminded that pre-season could prove deceptive, then Celtic were certainly the victims tonight. Massimo Donati continuously surrendered possession in key areas, often allowing the menacing Kerzhakov to strike fear into Celtic hearts.

The hosts started the second half brightly, forcing a string of set pieces, but within five minutes Dinamo had reverted to their composed defensive set-up.

Scott McDonald eventually forced a clearance off the line. However, Celtic’s play was too erratic and Mowbray replaced McDonald and Fortune with Georgios Samaras and Chris Killen on the hour.

The substitutions changed nothing and every attack was meat and drink for Dinamo’s organised and disciplined defence.

Danny Fox replaced the ineffective Donati to make his Celtic debut. However, it was Boruc who made a superb save from substitute, Fedor Smolov, to prevent the hosts from falling further behind.

With four minutes left Samaras should have salvaged a draw for Celtic, but his header from an excellent Gary Caldwell cross was straight at the keeper.

The Russians did look sharper than Celtic throughout the match and are already halfway through their season. However, Celtic were aware they would be entering the competition at this stage since May and will now need a minor miracle if they are to avoid falling out of the Champions League at the first hurdle.

Celtic: Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell, Loovens, Naylor; McGeady, NGuemo, Donati (Fox 67), Maloney; Fortune (Samaras 60), McDonald (Killen 60).
Subs not used: Zaluska, Crosas, Flood, O’Dea.
Dinamo Moscow: Gabulov; Kowalczyk, Fernandez, Kolodin, Granat; D Kombarov, Svezhov, Wilkshire, K Kombarov; Kerzhakov, Kokorin (Smolov 74).
Subs not used: Denisov, Shunin, Tansijevic, Dimidko, Ropotan.

The positives that can be taken from these matches have been a chance to bed new signings Marc-Antoine Fortune, Landry N’Guemo, Danny Fox and Lukasz Zaluska into the side. A return to form for Chris Killen and Massimo Donati has also been a welcome bonus.

The match itself will be Tony Mowbray’s first competitive game in charge and he couldn’t ask for a more important game in which to get his tenure underway. The tie represents the first of two qualifying rounds Celtic will need to negotiate to earn Champions League status – by far the most difficult route they’ve ever faced.

With so much at stake, expect Mowbray to deploy a conventional 4-4-2 formation, with as much experience as he can muster. Boruc will be in goal and with captain, Stephen McManus injured, the back four should read Hinkel, Caldwell, Loovens and Naylor.

Barry Robson remains sidelined and the game may come just too soon for Scott Brown, which leaves Celtic light in midfield, so N’Guemo should make his debut alongside Crosas or Donati in the middle. With Nakamura departed for Spain, a lot will rest on the shoulders of McGeady and Maloney, who’ll supply a strikeforce of McDonald and Fortune. If Celtic need goals late on expect to see Samaras and Killen arrive from the bench.

Dinamo represent a rather unknown factor after qualifying for the competition by finishing third in the Russian Premier Division last season. Two years ago, Celtic overcame Spartak Moscow in a classic Celtic Park penalty shoot-out, but Dinamo cannot be placed on the same level as their neighbours.They currently lie fourth in this seasons Russian Premier and played out a 1-1 derby draw with Lokomotiv Moscow at the weekend – a game that was watched by Tony Mowbray. After 15 rounds of domestic matches, Celtic can expect their opponents to be much more up to scratch in the fitness department. However, Celtic did receive a surprise boost when it emerged Dinamo captain, Dmitri Khokhlov, will be suspended for the first leg for a sending off he received for a previous club.

With the host’s dire European form away from home bound to give the Moscow side inspiration for the return leg, it is essential that Celtic win this game without the concession of an away goal. The faithful will need to play their part by making as much noise as possible and turning Parkhead into a European cauldron, the likes of which the Dinamo players have most likely never seen. However, with Celtic behind their opponents in terms of sharpness and Dinamo likely to keep as many men as possible behind the ball, expect this to be a tight affair.

Prediction: Celtic 1 Dinamo Moscow 0

Paul Hartley may never be written into the folklore of Celtic greats. The chances of his name ever been sung from the stands in the same breath as Johnstone, Tully, Murdoch, Hall and Hay are slim. However, Hartley is a man who dreamt of wearing the hoops and through football’s backwater achieved that aim with blood, sweat and tears.

Born in Hamilton, Hartley began his career with his hometown club in 1994 as a right winger and stayed with them for two years. He then went south for a year to Millwall, before returning home to have spells with Raith Rovers, Hibernian and Greenock Morton.

However, it was at his next club, St. Johnstone, that Hartley began to realise his potential. In season 2001-02, manager, Billy Stark, moved him from the wing to a more central position. Here his performances began to improve, although it wasn’t enough to save St. Johnstone from relegation at the end of the season. That form continued into the following campaign where he was nominated for First Division player of the year and moved to Hearts under freedom of contract.

Hartley’s rise continued in Gorgie where he began to establish himself as a goalscoring midfielder. His popularity increased amongst the Hearts faithful, especially for his consistent combative displays against Hibernian in the Edinburgh derby. In 2005, Paul was first linked with his boyhood heroes. However, Celtic and Hearts were miles apart in their valuation and the player signed a new contract to stay where he was.

The following season was the most memorable of his career to date, where a hat-trick against Hibernian in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup gave Hearts a final berth. Despite being sent off in the final against Gretna, the Jambo’s won on penalties and Hartley had the first medal of his career.

With Paul now reaching his peak and becoming a regular in the Scotland set-up, the Old Firm vultures began to circulate above Tynecastle. Vladimir Romanov had Hearts in disarray off the pitch and in January 2007 it looked as if Rangers had won the battle to sign the player. However, in the knowledge of where Hartley’s loyalties lay, Gordon Strachan hijacked the deal and Paul’s dreams came true, as he joined Celtic in a £1.1 million transfer.

Hartley’s Celtic career got off to a shaky start, as it appeared the player had been bought as a utility man to fill in wherever necessary. His form dipped, but despite this Celtic retained the league at a canter and Paul won his second Scottish Cup medal after a 1-0 victory over Dunfermline in the final.

Paul’s luck turned in the opening game of the 2007-08 season away to Spartak Moscow in a Champions League qualifier. A splendid bullet header in the Luzhniki Stadium earned Celtic a crucial away goal that helped them gain access to the lucrative group stages of the competition. Hartley joked his goal was worth “£10million”, and on the back of this he put in a string of solid performances as a holding midfielder.

His change of role most likely came about due to the purchase of Scott Brown. With both players known for their energetic, box-to-box abilities, it was always likely Hartley would be the one that would have to adapt as he began to enter the twilight of his career. Adapt he did, and Paul was in the side more often than he was out.

Never one to hide, Hartley was often the player seen to be harassing and shot-blocking, especially during Old Firm meetings. Paul’s most prominent time in the team came towards the end of his first full season at Celtic. With Rangers in an almost unassailable position in the league and Scott Brown suffering from lack of form (due to family tragedy),  Hartley formed a midfield partnership with Barry Robson that was the catalyst to saving Celtic’s season.

Seven wins from the remaining seven games, including two titanic Old Firm victories, meant Celtic had won three-in-a-row. The final day victory away to Dundee United, amidst a Rangers collapse and the tragic death of Tommy Burns, gave testament to the point that Celtic were a resilient team and Hartley’s contribution had been at the forefront of this achievement.

His final season in the hoops was no where near as memorable as the previous. As age commenced to creep up on Paul and speed vacated his legs, he found himself demoted back to the position of squad player. Hartley’s place in the team was the subject of heated debate amongst supporters. He was pushed further down the pecking order as Strachan went with the head-scratching decision to overload the team with midfielders.

As Celtic went through a curse of injuries in the full back positions, Hartley was asked to fill in at left back. Never one to moan, he displayed his professionalism and gave it his best effort. It was just a stop-gap however, and Celtic’s season ended with a disastrous European campaign and the surrendering of the League title. The highlight of the season had been a 2-0 victory in the CIS cup against Rangers, in which Hartley had played 72 minutes in his more favoured central midfield role.

This victory was unable to mask over the cracks though. Strachan’s complacency had cascaded its way down to the team and he ultimately walked, which put the death nail in Hartley’s Celtic coffin. With his contract expired, Tony Mowbray decided not to renew and Paul was snapped up by Championship outfit, Bristol City.

Despite this, Hartley left on good terms and showed his affection for the club by saying: “I won every trophy that there was to play for. All good things come to an end. What most sticks in my memory is the game at Tannadice in the last game of season 2007-08 where we clinched the league. I think that’s probably the highlight, but just being there for two-and-a-half years was a special time for me, to live the dream as they say.”

“When you’re growing up and you support a team, you always dream of playing for them. I was very fortunate that Gordon Strachan gave me the opportunity to live that dream and I just savoured every day I was at the club. I’ll always keep my eye open for the results at Celtic and come back to watch the games when I can.”

Paul Hartley was always a player that had to apply application and hard work to make it in the footballing world. His desire took him from journeyman to his boyhood heroes. He will still hold certain aspirations. Bristol City are Premiership candidates and Scotland are in the mix for World Cup qualification. However, when you look back at Hartley’s Celtic career his “personality didn’t shrink to fit the jersey”. He was just a Celtic fan that “lived the dream” and earned the right to pull on the hoops. “Hail Hail” and farewell! Paul Hartley.

With Gordon Strachan and his management team walking after failing so spectacularly in the league from an almost unassailable position, comes a new regime with fresh ideas and impetus. Throughout Strachan’s reign the Scottish media often portrayed the reason for his lack of popularity amongst the support as not being “Celtic minded”. The real reason was down to the often cavalier and laboured performance of the team, as well as frequent bizarre post-match interviews, where he offered analysis that would differ from the majority to the say the least.

The new men in place can hardly be described as reminiscent of the Strachan era. In Tony Mowbray, Celtic have employed a manager renowned for his passing and creative style from his days with Hibernian and West Brom. Having played for the club in the early nineties and invented the “Celtic Huddle”, Mowbray’s Celtic connections are strong. With Neil Lennon and Peter Grant also on board the new management team are about as “Celtic minded” as you can get.

With the team looking to re-establish their dominance over Scottish football, Mowbray has been quick to bring in new players; Lukasz Zaluska from Dundee United, Marc-Antoine Fortune and Landry N’Guemo from Nancy and Danny Fox from Coventry. Out the door go Shunsuke Nakamura, Paul Hartley, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Bobo Balde.

Rangers have been quiet on the transfer front to date and this suggests Celtic are the ones currently making the more impressive strides to taking their title back. It’s only July of course, and whoever is really going to be champions come May need to improve on their form away from home against the top six. Both sides fell down repeatedly last season in these fixtures, with a late surge from Rangers enabling them to take the title.

However, there appears to be a lack funds available for Rangers and with Celtic prudent in this department in previous seasons they have an advantage over their rival’s. Also, Rangers form under Walter Smith can be described as nothing more that steady and with no transfers coming in, there’s nothing to suggest a major change will occur. It is probably for these reasons Celtic have been employed as the early favourites.

Europe represents an entirely different conundrum for Celtic this season. Two difficult rounds of qualifying for the Champions League, starting with a difficult tie against Dinamo Moscow this coming week. If Celtic can overcome the Russians, they will most likely face an even more daunting prospect against a team from one of Europe’s more glamorous leagues. Not the most desired route for the Bhoys, but it’s the position they find themselves in and they’re just going to have to get on with it.

If Celtic are eliminated by Dinamo Moscow they will, however, parachute into the newly named, Europa League. Although Celtic’s board, fans and accountants would rather achieve European football after Christmas via a Champions League campaign, it appears Tony Mowbray will have to apply some quick miracles to avoid the Europa League.