TOK OF THE DEVIL
Ronny’s old boy haunts Celts as Bhoys turn in another European stinker to rank alongside Cluj and Copenhagen
A GUY who played for Ronny Deila turned up on a night Celtic turned in a performance reminiscent of their old manager’s most painful moments in these parts.
Only this time the Hoops are out of the Champions League even earlier than old Ronny managed.
The group stage is gone before it even came into sight. And Celtic have no one to blame but themselves.
Tokmac Nguen, who was at Stromsgodset in Norway with Deila, pounced on the counter-attack with 15 minutes to go but the warning signs were there all evening.
David Siger’s shock seventh-minute opener came from a corner pinched on the break as well.
Celtic were in charge most of the night but playing without a striker backfired in the worst possible way.
Neil Lennon opted to go with Ryan Christie up top with Odsonne Edouard ruled out.
In fairness, the attacker gave it his best shot and got his side back into the second qualifying round clash.
But too often there was nothing to hit and nothing to make the ball stick.
The Scottish champions still created enough chances to be home and dry only for defensive lapses to again prove fatal.
Just like Cluj in the qualifiers last year. Just like Copenhagen then in the Europa League last 32.
And just like when Deila was in town as Maribor and Malmo came to Glasgow in 2014 and 2015 respectively and left having had a ball.
Now Celtic can add Ferencvaros to the hitlist. The Hungarians are another one of those great European teams from the olden days.
One who have joined the likes of Red Star Belgrade, St-Etienne and Hajduk Split on the outskirts of the continental game thanks to the big boys hoovering up most of the dosh these last two or three decades.
But there have been signs of a revival. Ferencvaros got to the Europa League groups last season and did pretty well, beating CSKA in Moscow and twice drawing with Espanyol.
Swedish champions Djurgardens were then taken care of last week.
This one always had the potential to be a tricky – and sticky – test. That was even before Edouard’s absence.
The Frenchman’s tweaked thigh was a sore blow in more ways than one. With still no Leigh Griffiths, Lennon could have lobbed in Patryk Klimala or Albian Ajeti.
Instead he went with Christie and left £9million worth of striking talent on the bench. Lennon felt the pair were not quite up to speed but it was another reminder that the path to the group stage can be a truly rocky road.
It took just seven minutes to hit the kind of speed bump that rattles every bone in the body.
Celtic had started neatly. They pegged Ferencvaros back on to the edge of their box, James Forrest was flying and testing keeper Denes Dibusz, while his team-mates looked comfortable. A quick break and a corner kick later, though, they were left stunned. Any thoughts of home comfort went right out of the window.
Callum McGregor’s ball inside was cut out at one end of the pitch and the break was lightning.
Nguen raced free and forced Scott Brown to scramble back in the nick of time. But the ball dropped to Siger and, with no one pressing, he unleashed a rocket into the bottom corner. It was out of the blue but it was clear Celtic had a major problem.
Ferencvaros were happy to soak up, then smash on the counter. They also left three men up top at all times, meaning Lennon’s backline were quickly swamped any time the Hungarians hooked the ball upfield.
Brazilian Isael got in behind soon after and it was maybe just as well there were no punters in the stands to add to the tension.
Celtic clawed away at this cat and mouse game, with Christie doing his best to lead the line.
He came closer than most. A longrange drive was deflected just wide,
a superb touch and volley spun just over and a backheel from Greg Taylor’s dangerous low cross just needed a bit more meat on the bone.
Mohamed Elyounoussi beat his man to send one whistling past before a superb spin and shot tested Dibusz.
By the break Celtic were in charge, albeit aware the Hungarians could pounce at the hint of a misplaced pass.
Lennon’s side kept banging on the door after the interval.
Elyounoussi looked to be a man on a mission, demanding the ball, driving inside, grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck. He whipped the ball over for Forrest, who dashed into the crowd and worked it to Christie. Finally the stand-in striker got a break.
He pulled the trigger and the deflection worked as the ball looped off Adnan Kovacevic and over Dibusz.
The keeper was pawing at fresh air again moments later. It defied belief how Olivier Ntcham’s screamer of a volley clattered off the underside of the bar and spun out to safety.
Christie was denied by Dibusz again and Christopher Jullien nodded over as Celtic went in for the kill.
There was work to be done, though. Brown was a lucky Bhoy, managing to dodge a card when he clattered Kovacevic. The 35-year-old didn’t escape after another dull one on Siger. Ferencvaros were stewing but running out of steam. Or so it seemed.
Sure they were dangerous on the counter but Hatem Abd Elhamed should have cut out the first ball. Then he had chances to get a foot in when Nguen raced through.
But the defender got himself in a mess and could only watch in horror as the frontman netted.
He wasn’t the only one. Celtic desperately searched for another way back, with Ntcham’s drive clawed away by Dibusz.
The Champions League was the dream. This was a nightmare.