PRESSURE TIPS THE SCALES
Defender fired up as Rangers go equal on points
CELTIC defender Liam Scales believes the added pressure at the top of the table can bring out the best in his team.
The centre-back vowed to embrace the challenge after Celtic’s draw at Aberdeen on Saturday allowed Rangers to go level on points with victory over The Dons last night.
The Republic of Ireland star said: “We know it’s a tight race and we know what it’s going to take to win the league, and that’s our objective.
“We just want to win as many games as possible and we feel like that will get us there.
“We know the pressure is there to win these games and we can’t drop many more points. That’s clear to us.”
Celtic go to Easter Road tonight top of the table on goal difference.
But Scales does not believe the outcome at Ibrox will make any difference to Celtic’s approach.
“I don’t think it really matters, I don’t think the way we look at it changes whether we are top of the league by 10 points, three points or whether we are second,” the Republic of Ireland defender said.
“We still approach every game to win it and that’s never going to change.
“Realistically it doesn’t change how we think about things at all.
“Obviously it adds a bit of pressure. But that’s good, I think. We need to embrace it and go from there.
“It shows a different side to players, if we can all perform under pressure then it shows a really good personality and that’s what we all want to see.”
Scales was also full of praise for fellow Irishman Adam Idah (right) after his excellent debut off the bench at Pittodrie.
He said: “He’s a top player. I’ve seen a lot of him. I was in the Irish under-21s with him when he was 17 when he came in and he was in the first team by the time he was 18 or 19. I remember him playing against Italy, he was playing against the Inter Milan centre half. Adam was 17, but he was throwing him around like a ragdoll, running rings round him.
“So I know what he’s capable of even if a lot of people won’t have seen much of him. I’m just excited to see how he does here. I’ve a good feeling about it.”
Scales is not alone. In fact, yesterday at the club’s Lennoxtown HQ, Brendan Rodgers was trying - and failing - to keep a lid on his own excitement over what Idah might be about to bring to the party at a critical moment in the campaign.
The manager said: “If I can unlock the talent he has then this is a boy that can be a top level striker.
“He’s not just a boy where, even if you max out everything, he can only get to a certain level. This is everything - this is 6ft 2in, power, speed. So once he finds the relationships with the other players and the runs - and we’ll play to his strengths because he wants to run in behind - then he’s going to be a real handful. Working with him on the training pitch and seeing his finishing left foot, right foot, spin, strike - he was absolutely brilliant.”