Celtic Tame Roar in Festive Friendly

Celtic football club, showed class and finesse to dispatch a disappointing Brisbane Roar 3-0, in front of 31,340 fans at Suncorp Stadium.

Two goals from New Zealand striker Chris Killen, and a third from Japanese superstar Koki Mizuno, powered the boys from Glasgow to a resounding victory in front of a crowd that came from far and wide.

Fans from Scotland, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia among others, took the rare chance to watch Celtic Down Under, and the team didn’t disappoint them.

Lee Naylor, rampaging down the left wing for Celtic, put in the perfect cross for Chris Killen to prod home the opener in the 39th minute.

Only three minutes later, some lovely build up, and a superb cutback from Celtic captain Scott McDonald, allowed Killen to score his second, when he slotted the ball into the bottom right corner of the Roar net.

After changing four players at half time, Celtic took no time at all to regain their rhythm, scoring a classic goal just 5 minutes after the break.

Andreas Hinkel made a fantastic run down the right hand side, before crossing to ball to Koki Mizuno who met it with a diving header to clinch the game for Celtic.

Celtic made four more changes after this goal, and the game evened out with Brisbane Roar playing some entertaining football.

Isaka Sernak made some skilful runs after he came on as a 59th minute substitute for the Roar, and Brisbane Striker Sergio Van Dijk played well at times up front, without troubling the Celtic keeper.

New Celtic signing Marc-Antoine Fortune had a relatively quiet debut, but he pleased the incoming Celtic manager Tony Mowbray.

“He showed how strong he can be. How well he holds the ball up. We are very conscious of the fact he’s done no training with us. We signed him the day before we came, but we have no fear about his quality,” said Mowbray.

Brisbane Roar captain Craig Moore was philosophical about his team’s defeat, realising the importance of the game for both teams in their pre-season preparations.

“It’s a great stadium and the crowd created a great atmosphere. I think it was important for us as far as our first real decent hit out. It’s probably come at a good time. The last few games we’ve been a little bit flat, and there was a completely different tempo out there,” said Moore.

“It was important for Celtic as well, because they’ve got a few important games coming up, a Champions League qualifier on the 28th, so they’ll be pleased with there hit out as well.”

Brace scorer Chris Killen was also well pleased with his pre-season form and looking forward to a good season up front for Celtic, hopefully alongside Australian Scott McDonald.

“Being such a big club there is competition for places all around the field, we’ve got four good strikers at the club, and plenty coming through, so I’ve got to keep on my toes, work hard and keep my head down,” said Killen.

Premier Anna Bligh was on hand to award the ‘Roar against Racism’ trophy to victorious captain Scott McDonald, who didn’t disappoint fans staying behind after the match to sign autographs and pose for photos.

The Celtic v Roar game seemed to be a success for all, particularly the multitude of fans that travelled from all over the world to watch their football team win a thoroughly entertaining match.

No Ronald… Oh, But He’s a Super McDonald

Scott McDonald is over the moon at the chance to captain Celtic for the first time in tomorrow’s 3pm match against Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium.

Sunday’s match between the Roar and Glasgow’s Celtic, is the only opportunity Australians will have to watch Celtic play, and fans have travelled from as far as Singapore and Malaysia to see the ‘Green Machine’.

“We’ve came from Adelaide, and other Celtic fans have travelled from as far as Singapore and Hong Kong,”  Celtic supporter Bobby Dassler says.

Tomorrow’s match is the first time McDonald has captained Celtic and his excitement is barely containable.

“I come from Melbourne, but everybody knows how amazing Suncorp Stadium is, and the Queensland fans are just great,” McDonald says.

McDonald has been keenly watching the progress of the A League, and believes the competition is improving out of sight.

“Everybody has seen the improvement in the A-League, and this can only be a benefit to the Australian team, especially in a World Cup year,” McDonald says.

Celtic coach Tony Mowbray was keen for his side to prove their worth, in his first competitive match as manager.

“All the players are looking forward to this match, and as my first as coach it’s rather special,” Mowbray says.

Celtic have recently recruited striker, Marc Antoine Fortune, who has been dubbed by some Roar fans as “Make a”, after his recent big money move from Nancy in France.

30,000 plus tickets have already been sold for the match at Suncorp Stadium, but tickets are still available in all areas.

O Origin, Where Art Thou?

It’s hard to imagine a world without State of Origin. It really has become the great leveller, the bringerer togetherer, the holy grail of sporting events. League fans turn on their club heroes in favour of a rival club’s villain. Rugby fans let bygones be bygones, putting down their reading glasses, imported cheese and glass of red to enjoy the spectacle. Soccer fans recognise, if only for a few short hours, that they really DO follow a soft sport. And Aussie Rules fans… Well, Aussie Rules fans watch, albeit through gritted teeth, and enjoy, but not without a pang of sadness, seeing mate against mate, state against state, a concept that fell by the wayside almost a decade ago in their favourite code.

Yes, you did read correctly, it has been almost ten whole years since the indigenous game of one of the finest federations on the planet, allowed its states to celebrate their unique talents and prowess in the sporting arena. When the boffins at AFL HQ decided to scrap State of Origin, they did so for good reason. There were no crowds, star players weren’t turning out on the advice of their clubs and with the game becoming more national by the day, the logistics of it all were becoming too hard to handle. The format had lost its luster and as such, was the AFL was losing money.

Fans refused to accept the leagues common sense approach. This was State of Origin and the league was letting the Big V down. Like a broken hearted ex-boyfriend, the competition’s fan-base were crying out for just one more chance. The passion remained, and does to this day, the punters want to see the best playing with and against the best. But like so many ex-girlfriend’s before them, the league wouldn’t budge. Until of course it suited them (don’t get me wrong, the fans were overjoyed).

2008 was the 150th anniversary of Australian Rules Football and to celebrate, the Hall of Fame tribute match was announced. This one-off Victoria against the rest concept had traditional standalone states South Australia and Western Australia screaming blue murder, but without the luxury of a rugby league-like two state structure and with over 300 of the 700 registered players Victorians, the league had little option. The match was a success, the best players played, the crowd came out in force and only a few players withdrew. In households around the country, friends gathered, shared the experience, just like they would for the rugby league State of Origin (only on a much smaller and less fanatic scale).

The players loved it too. Just like their rugby league comrades, they wore the jumper with pride, they played without fear and they all expressed their burning desire to have the concept back. Brendon Fevola, best on ground on the night, wants it back every year. Brownlow Medalist Jimmy Bartel said it needs to be timed better, maybe as a replacement to the preseason competition and Victorian Captain Jonathon Brown met the AFL halfway and suggested a once every four years exhibition match.

The fact of the matter is, everyone wants it back. In recent years, the players have had but one representative opportunity, to play for their country in the International Rules contest against Ireland. But this game is not football and the best players don’t play, the best suited players play and that opportunity is gone now too.

It’s time for the big wigs at the AFL to pull their finger out, forget about Western Sydney (there is no way that it will work!) and concentrate on the existing fans, concentrate on making the best game in the land even better, for them to allow Aussie Rules supporters to watch Queensland continually pummel New South Wales without the tears!