Samaras or McCourt?

Celtic fans will accept mistakes as long as players show fight, says Georgios Samaras

Nov 10 2011 By Scott McDermott
georgios samaras in action against sion

GEORGIOS SAMARAS admits Celtic's players will make more mistakes this season because they aren't robots on the pitch.

But the big Greek striker has praised their fighting spirit in wins against Rennes and Motherwell - and thanked the Hoops fans for sticking with them.
Samaras is one of several Celtic stars to have faced fierce criticism this season as the team slipped 12 points behind Rangers in the SPL table.
But his performance against the French side in their Europa League win last week earned him plaudits from the Parkhead faithful and he followed it up with a decent display at Motherwell on Sunday.

The striker insists he understands the supporters' frustration but says errors on the pitch are inevitable. And he's hopeful the character they've shown in the last week can drag them back into the title race.

He said: "You cannot be right all the time in the game.

"You're going to make small mistakes - a wrong decision, a bad pass. That's normal. We're not robots.

"But I think when the fans see the effort we are putting in and that we fight to win the ball back if we do make a mistake, they support us.

"When we have the ball, we try to create something better. When we're flat and make mistakes it's normal that the supporters can be negative.

"But then they see our character and spirit and become positive again.

"Against Rennes there was a great atmosphere at Celtic Park. When I was doing the drugs test after the game with their right-back he told me he had been covering his ears for the last 20 minutes because of the noise.

"He said it was unbelievable and I told him to imagine what it would be like if it was a full house.

"When the stadium is full it's better for everyone. It's good for us and bad for the opposition as there are some players who can't handle it. That's what we need."

Samaras realises some of Celtic's results have been unacceptable so far this term. It was only at the weekend that they finally jumped into second place in the SPL on goal difference after beating the Steelmen.

They face a monumental challenge to catch the Ibrox outfit but the Greek hitman is adamant Neil Lennon's men are united in trying to do so.

He said: "I think the last two games have shown our spirit in going to win games. Everyone was in a bad mood after the poor results earlier.

"But we went out and showed people we have character. We need to build on these performances now.

"The players said before the Rennes game that we need to work for each other - support one another as team-mates.

"We are friends, we're together every day and we don't care what other people say. We try to support each other on the pitch and we get on well. With so many players injured we've had to play different teams. Key players like Joe Ledley and Charlie

Mulgrew are missing, plus long-term absentees Scott Brown and Emilio Izaguirre.
"We've made mistakes, some wrong decisions and bad passes. But I think the most important thing was our hunger and work-rate. That side of it has been unbelievable in the last two games.

"The reason we beat Rennes wasn't because we played great football or moved the ball fast, it was because of the way we closed them down.

"I think the power we had was one level more than the French. People say you need to give 100 per cent to win a game but we gave more than that."

As well as being in the League Cup semi-finals, Celtic still have a slim chance of reaching the knockout phase of the Europa League if they can beat Atletico Madrid when they come to Glasgow later this month.

Samaras said: "Atletico won the Europa League two years ago with Diego Forlan and Sergio Aguero. Now they have Diego and Falcao so they're still a great team.

"Atletico are always in the top six in Spain but if we win we'll qualify from the group so the chance is there. We have an opportunity and we're going to fight for it."

Meanwhile, Celtic talisman Paddy McCourt admits he's happy to be Lennon's saviour from the subs' bench after his rescue act at Fir Park.

The Northern Irish winger went on with the score at 1-1 but a trademark dribble ended with Gary Hooper bagging a late winner.

McCourt said: "The manager is using me a lot as a sub. Sometimes it comes off and sometimes it doesn't.

"Sunday was one of the days when it did. Thankfully I was able to contribute and give us the three points.

"When I'm on the bench I always try to concentrate on the game and look for weaknesses. But the game was slipping away from us.

"I'm not going on to shore up the defence, I'm being put on to win the game and I'm comfortable with that."

Love the attitude from both of the players here

 

Can't help but like Samaras as a person.

 

It's very frustrating, he knows what is required. He's bang on the money everytime he opens his mouth, the application is what is required.

If he works as hard as he did against Rennes everygame then he will gain a lot of respect in my eyes.

 

I just wish we utilised his strengths more. If we played a counter attacking style he'd score more than he does at the moment.

 

Really do like those two. Both open and honest, and they know whats expected.

 

Mccourts the ferrari, but the gas tank is the size of a can of coke

 

myth

 

Clearly a myth look how many games he starts and finishes for us.

 

It deffo is a myth, Lennon has even said McCourt is fit, and McCourt has said the same.

He looks a * of a lot sharper than what he was 2 years ago and I'm positive he could easily start for us.

Going by your argument, is Sammy unfit then too?

 

mccourt might be fit enough to start and finish games but he disappears for long spells when he plays a full 90, impact sub is his best role

 

Good wee article, Samaras is a great guy and it makes you wonder if he's deserved the insults thrown at him by Celtic supporters. As long as he's giving 100%, that's all we can ever ask for.

If he's not good enough to start, we should be looking at the manager.

Still loves the club, what a guy.

 

Brings a wee bit of perspective doesn't it. He's a genuinely likeable guy; he's a human being and doesn't deserve the abuse he gets.

 

I'm not saying he can't put in 90 minutes, its just how much of that 90 minutes do we see him at full throttle?

Sammy is an enigma. You can't help but like him and hate him at the same time. There's no way to predict how he's going to play based off form. It's a gamble everytime he's on the pitch. Sometime's you put it all on black and you win something.

Paddy is a band-aid. If there's a problem with the team, he can come in and fix the problems the team is having. Unfortunately, his fitness issues are NOT a myth. The style of play that he has is him giving his all to change the style of play that the team on the pitch has been unable to change and thus struggling. He plays better in shorts bursts, turning possession into goal scoring opportunities. That seems to be where the current team seems to get stuck up in in the last 20-30 minutes of each game. They're tired, and so are the opposition. We gain possession, maybe get a shot off but nothing comes of it.

If Paddy were to come on at about 70 minutes in, maybe a couple before, when the team is struggling, he can pick apart the tired opposition. Its not a matter of him lacking the talent to go up against a team who is not tired and on their last legs for the day, it is simply playing to his strengths for him not to waste his energy until the enemy is weakened.

What's wrong with playing to a very talented player's strengths?

 

Penetrating analysis as usual

 

Cut out the Trolling