Celtic

Celtic are looking into making on-loan defender Marcelo Saracchi’s stay a permanent one. The Uruguayan signed late in the summer window from Argentine giants Boca Juniors, and has made 23 appearances as the Parkhead side manage Kieran Tierney’s fitness. A deal will reportedly not be concluded until a new manager is in the Celtic Park dugout, yet interim manager Martin O’Neill admits it is a deal that makes sense. “I think they should try [sign him]. Kieran Tierney is playing brilliantly, back to the level Arsenal paid for. “But this little lad scored for us. He’s a strange character, I call him Manuel from Fawlty Towers because he hasn’t a clue what I’m saying! “He just says ‘Yes’ to everything! But the club should be looking at something like that.” Saracchi has scored once in a 2-1 home win over Livingston, and has chipped in with two assists. The player himself is said to be keen to extending his stay to life in Glasgow, but would need reassurances on game time amid other options being presented to him.

Celtic winger James Forrest has extended his time at Parkhead by another year, penning a deal that sees him at the club until the end of the 2026/27 season. Forrest, who turns 35 in the summer, has never played for a club other than Celtic, becoming their most decorated player of all time with 26 major honours at the time of writing. He scored on his debut in 2010 as a 19-year-old in a 4-0 home win over Motherwell, and hopes he can continue his record of scoring in every season since next year again with the Hoops. Forrest told club media: “I’m absolutely delighted. I’ve been here my full career and I’ve loved every minute of it. “We’ve been so successful in my time here and I’m delighted to have signed another year, and I’ll just give my best to the club for however long I’ll be here. “While I’m still playing I can hopefully keep contributing and helping the team when I can and I’m just going to give it everything until I finish. “When I do stop, I will look back on so many great memories, but hopefully I can make a few more before I do finish.” Interim manager Martin O’Neill brought him off the bench to rescue Celtic on Sunday in the Scottish Cup semi-final win over St. Mirren, and he is happy to see Forrest potentially see out his career as a one-club-man. O’Neill said: “I really want James to finish his career here at Celtic, and I just didn’t want him to be going elsewhere, and I think he wanted that as well. “But the major point about taking anyone on is to know whether they’re worth an extra year and James has proved this season that he has been worth that. “He has changed games and he has done wonderfully well. His contribution in recent weeks when he’s come off the bench has been absolutely terrific, and he has deserved it, and that’s the point. “So, take sentimentality right out of it, he’s deserved it. “He’s been immense for the football club since Neil Lennon brought him in when he was a young kid in the reserves, and he is what I love – I love players who take people on and he can take people on, even to have that little burst of pace at his age is worth its weight in gold.” There is still scope that Forrest can make the plane for the World Cup this summer, having been part of Steve Clarke’s last two major tournament squads. But with the title race in the balance, and Celtic in a Scottish Cup final against former manager Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline, adding to his record high Celtic honours will be at the forefront of the Scottish international’s mind.

Former Celtic defender Rudi Vata says that the appointment of Tommy Burns as manager in 1994 was the moment the paradigm shifted in Scottish football. The Albanian was part of the squad under Burns’ that won the 1995 Scottish Cup, the first trophy Celtic had won in six years. And Vata believes that the blueprint left by Burns’ is what catapulted Celtic into their era of dominance. Speaking exclusively on SNN Sports Football Voices, he said: “Tommy was all about Celtic, he knew Celtic better than anybody else. “All he wanted was the ball on the ground, keep the ball, possession, and that was something that started to click with everybody. “Tommy was the key moment for Celtic to change that situation and go towards better things. I believe that was the key moment for Celtic.” Vata came to Glasgow in 1993 under Liam Brady and initially struggled for game time under Burns. However, he would eventually break into the team and become a key part of Burns’ system up until leaving for Apollon Limassol in 1996. “At the beginning, he didn’t like me because he had different ideas. “Later on you realise, every manager wants to have his own team and build it up with his own ideas with the players he thinks can become successful. “What I did, instead of complaining, and instead of crying about it, I went and hammered myself and after two or three months, Billy Stark [Burns’ assistant] asks me to see him [Burns] in his office and he says ‘you know you are going to play tomorrow night?’ “He didn’t like me and my skills, but he seen that I hadn’t given up. “Even after I left Celtic, he became Reading manager and wanted me to go sign for Reading.” Burns’ would lead Celtic to their first trophy in six years when they defeated Airdrieonians in the Scottish Cup Final in 1995 1-0. This made Vata the first Albanian to win a major trophy in Western Europe, an accomplishment Vata holds in the highest of regard. “I don’t know what kind of feeling it is to win the World Cup, but for me as an Albanian, I was the first Albanian ever to win a trophy in the Western world. “To be first for me was like paradise. “It maybe looks a small achievement now but in 1995, it was the whole world for me. “When we went to Celtic Park, the fans where out there because it was a fair distance that we didn’t win a trophy for.” The full episode of SNN Sports Football Voices with Rudi Vata is available NOW on Spotify and YouTube, where you can listen to extra Tommy Burns stories and much more. YouTube: https://youtu.be/awqZIiTy-w8?si=OxzRsVXIl68BtLeq Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3JNxLaM28S0GBhLeej7h6C?si=7246f2682f0c4cfa

Celtic’s internal ban on the ultras group ‘Green Brigade’ has been lifted and will see them back at Celtic Park on Saturday, a club statement confirms. The group were banned initially for six matches in November following an alleged incident inside Celtic Park at home to Falkirk. However, this was extended in December due to further ‘safety incidents’. With Celtic’s post-split dates confirmed, they go into the final pre-split fixture at home to St. Mirren with a full house to ramp up their bid of retaining the title. The statement reads: “The Club is pleased to confirm that a route has been found to lift the suspension of the Green Brigade with effect from Saturday’s game against St Mirren. On March 27th, at a meeting of Glasgow City Council Safety Advisory Group, the Club again addressed the suspension on the Green Brigade. The SAG confirmed that it did not object to the suspension being lifted, subject to three conditions being satisfied. These were that all applicable policies will be adhered to, including season ticket terms and conditions; agreement that members will comply with the safety and security operations; recognition that a match-by-match report will be submitted to the Safety Advisory Group, for as long as they deem it necessary. We communicated this to the Green Brigade and asked for their unconditional acceptance. They have today responded positively by accepting these conditions, as outlined.” Celtic interim chairman, Brian Wilson, said: “I am pleased we have reached this point where suspensions can be lifted with the agreement of Glasgow City Council Safety Advisory Group on terms which apply to supporters throughout the stadium. “On that basis, a full and united Celtic Park can get behind the team at this crucial point in the season.” It is doubtful that this patches up the disconnect between the ultras group and the club’s hierarchy, in a season which many fans even outside of the Green Brigade have demonstrated against the Celtic board members, notably seen in the 4-1 Europa League home defeat to Vfb Stuttgart with a tennis ball protest.  After St. Mirren, Celtic have Falkirk, Rangers and a final day clash with Hearts all at Parkhead. 

Celtic forward Kelechi Iheanacho says that he is ready to play his part in the title run-in after he scored the vital winner in his side’s 2-1 victory at Dundee. It was the first time this season the Parkhead club have won in the city of discovery, with Iheanacho’s match-winning strike eight minutes from time keeping Celtic within touching distance of leaders Hearts after they dropped points in a 2-2 draw away to Livingston. And the Nigerian believes he can be the man to lead the line for Celtic as he puts his injury worries behind him with the hunt for a domestic double still achievable. He said: “Yeah, I’m sure I’m fit to start games. Obviously it’s up to the manager to pick who he wants to start the games, but I’m really sure I’m perfectly okay to start games. “When you’re injured as a player, it’s obviously really difficult. Sometimes you could put your head down and all that. “Obviously you still support your team, but it’s really sad sometimes not getting on the pitch, contributing to the club that signed you.” The 29-year-old’s late strike coupled with a first half opener from Hyun-jun Yang either side of a Simon Murray penalty keeps Celtic third but just three points off of Hearts, with the defending champions expected to play the current leaders and Rangers at home in the split. And Iheanacho knows of the significance of the last few weeks of the campaign. “We just need to take it one game at a time and hopefully it will fall for us. “It [the result] was really massive for the team, where we are in the table, close to the top, so it’s massive. “It would have been scary to drop points because it would have been hard for the rest of the season. It was a great finish so I’m happy. “We need to keep winning to get to the end. Obviously it’s not been great for the past few weeks but I think we showed great character, discipline and togetherness to win the game.” It was the fourth goal from the former Manchester City attacker this season, which incredibly makes him Celtic’s highest scoring striker this season. With his current deal expiring in the summer, Iheanacho says negotiations are a second priority to the task at hand just now. “I think in terms of that [contract expiring], we’re focussing now on the games going forward. “Anything that concerns the contract will be maybe after the season, after we achieve our goals.” Celtic’s next two games are against St. Mirren in the league and then again in the Scottish Cup semi-final, with the anticipated split fixture dates set to be announced in the next few days.