Celtic boss Elena Sadiku believes her side can test the credentials of title hopefuls Hibs on Wednesday night, almost a year on from the Edinburgh side coming close to denying the Hoops a first league victory on the final day.
Speaking to the media ahead of the clash at Meadowbank, Sadiku said there was much to play for despite a top three finish being impossible, with opportunities for fringe players to stake a claim after a disappointing loss to Rangers on Sunday.
“I think I’ve made it clear after the game that I’m going to give players chances because I think they have done well in training,” said Sadiku.
Having struggled to retain their first title this season, the manager is hoping to lay the foundations to come back stronger for the next campaign.
“Nothing comes for free. Maybe it was a little bit easier before when Hibs were not as good or Hearts were not as good, and you knew that there were a few games where we needed to be at the top. But for me, if you want to be a winning team, you need to be at the top even if you play Montrose, even if you play Partick Thistle or Motherwell.”
“The performance against Rangers, was not good enough and I want a different attitude towards this game,” she said.
“We’re not going to make it easy for them because they sure did not make it easy for us. If that is enough motivation for the players then I don’t think they’re at the right place.”
Speaking on the signing of players to improve on the trophy-less campaign, albeit one which saw a first qualification for the Champions League, there was a sense a frustration at the lack of clarity concerning recruitment and the number of individuals involved in the process.
“Right now it’s me and David Haley. That’s it,” said Sadiku, “I just need to know from the board exactly how it looks because, obviously, I can’t go out and promise this contract and that contract when I don’t know the answers.”
Having come under pressure from fans, the manager remained confident in her ability to take the team forward.
“I can deal with pressure. I can deal with fans not liking me. I’ve been through so much worse in my life so this is nothing for me.”
“I don’t want to sound arrogant, but I’ve done well with this club. Obviously, this season, domestically, has not been good enough and I know that, but the positive is I’ve learned so much and I know exactly what I need to bring in to make sure that we are so successful next season.”