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CELTIC SHORTS - SHUNSUKE NAKAMURA, SCOTT BROWN AND FORZA VIOLA
By Trialist
According to the Evening Times' Ronny Cully, Celtic “suffered another injury scare ahead of this weekend's O** F*** game” when “Shunsuke Nakamura limped out of training after damaging a bone in a foot, sparking fears he may have aggravated a previous injury. The Japanese midfield star, clearly in pain, was immediately strapped up. He is still complaining of discomfort, but has returned to training at Lennoxtown under the watchful eye of the physios.”
So, not really an injury scare at all then, if Naka has returned to training, unless of course the Ginja Ninja forces unfit and in-pain players to train.
That's the kind of bullying the Loyal Cardigan (allegedly) indulges in.
Cully also claims that Celtic have met with representatives of Yokohama Marinos and Nakamura's advisors and told them the Club intends to activate the 29-year old's one year contract extension and retain the services of the Japanese genius until the summer of 2009.
Meanwhile Shunsuke Nakamura is adamant that Celtic must win all four of our remaining SPL matches if Celtic are to have any chance of winning the League.
Ahead of Sunday's all-important Celtic versus the Huns match at Celtic Park, the Hoops are two points ahead of the Huns, though TFOD has three games in hand.
Naka said: “Of course the Rangers game last week was important but we must build on that now. We must go forward and take confidence and belief into all the remaining games.”
Naka continued: “After Rangers we face Motherwell, Hibs and Dundee United. They have given us hard games this season and we need to play with the same desire as we did against Rangers. We can win these games but we have to concentrate 100 per cent.”
Naka added: “The Rangers game is massive, but the three which follow it are just as important. We need to keep the form we showed in last week's O** F*** game going for the rest of the season.”
Shunsuke Nakamura also believes Celtic's form is improving and that the Hoops have the players to win all four of our remaining SPL games.
Naka said: “We are getting better. In the last few games, with Barry Robson and Paul Hartley in the centre of midfield, we have played simple football. Against Rangers that is probably the best way for us to play.”
Naka continued: “I think the team is improving all the time. Barry has arrived and he's getting used to the system and the way we play. The type of passes the Manager likes and the style. Paul is also becoming a very important player for us. When he arrived from Hearts last season it wasn't always easy for him but he is playing well at the moment and is so important to the team.”
Naka added: “Andreas Hinkel has also been excellent and it is great to see Mark Wilson back playing. On top of that we have a great keeper, a good defence, strikers who score goals and Aiden McGeady has been outstanding all season.”
The Japanese genius also commented in the Celtic View on his sensational goal in last week's 2-1 humping of the Huns, when Naka hit the back of the net with a screamer from 35 yards.
Naka said: “The goal against Rangers was probably the best I have scored in my Celtic career. It was my first in an O** F*** game, which is obviously important to me.”
Naka added: “I don't feel as if I've been playing too well recently, so the feeling when it went in was incredible.”
Shunsuke Nakamura also spoke of his fellow countryman Koki Mizuno, who arrived at Celtic from JEF United during the January transfer window.
Naka said of the 22-year old Japanese winger: “It's Koki's first time away from home and, naturally, it will be hard for him to adapt at first into an entirely different environment. But he is working hard and playing well for the reserves. He is training with the players and it's up to him to take his chance when he gets it.”
Naka added: “Of course, I would love to play in the same team as him but we play in the same position and maybe when he makes it to the first team that will be the end of me. I don't want that.”
Meanwhile Gordon Strachan has admitted to a midfield selection dilemma ahead of Sunday's match against the Huns. Does the Celtic Manager recall Scott Brown back into Celtic's starting eleven now that the £4.4m midfielder has completed his three-match suspension?
In Scott Brown's absence, Celtic have won all three matches against Motherwell, the Huns and Aberdeen with Paul Hartley and Barry Robson in central midfield against Motherwell and the Huns and Massimo Donati and Barry Robson the central midfield pairing against Aberdeen.
Gordon Strachan said: “Scott is back and that gives me a dilemma. If you don't win the three games, the decision is a bit easier, but we did win the games.”
The Celtic Manager also spoke of Scott Brown's tally of yellow cards that earned the midfielder a suspension, saying: “It was a self-inflicted wound for Scott. But he will learn from that.”
Gordon Strachan also complimented Aiden McGeady, who this week won the SPFA's Player Of The Year and Young Player Of The Year accolades.
Gordon Strachan said: “Aiden has gone to a different level. There are a number of reasons, but he's listened and that's a great thing. He's worked on his shape and there are other people with similar ability in the game, who don't work hard enough.”
Gordon Strachan added: “They think that ability is enough, but it's not.”
Wonder who the Ginja Ninja means? NOT.
Finally, good luck to Fiorentina tonight in the Viola's UEFA Cup semi-final against the Huns at Ipox.
If there is any justice, Fiorentina will pump the Huns out of the competition thereby ending once and for all the Huns' cheating to get the League extended.
Of course the Huns didn't ask for the League to be extended, it just happened to be offered by the SPL's Blair and Gold without persistent lobbying by the chairman and without a Murray-manipulated media campaign.
So, the Huns are liars as well as cheats.
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