Weak Celtic still worth £60m for Martindale

DAVID MARTINDALE, the Livingston manager, has dismissed suggestions that Celtic are there for the taking on Saturday, positing that even the side’s ‘diminished’ options can still be valued at around £60 million.

Celtic will be without 13 senior players who remain in isolation following Christopher Jullien’s recent positive Covid-19 test, while manager Neil Lennon is among three members of the coaching staff who will be absent.

However, Martindale reckons a cursory glance at the side which claimed a 1-1 draw against Hibernian on Monday makes a mockery of claims that Celtic have been forced to field a weak side.

Callum McGregor, David Turnbull, Shane Duffy, Jeremie Frimpong and Ismaila Soro were among the established first-team stars to face Hibs, with Martindale suggesting the potential price tags of those wearing hoops could run Livi for 60 years.

“We can only go out and play the team we play,” said Martindale. “I was looking at Celtic’s squad against Hibs and, looking round the team, I was valuing it at around £60million.

“They had an abundance of talent on that pitch. £60million could run my club for 60 years!

“They have a big squad for a reason, it’s a fantastic squad and, even the squad that lined up against Hibs was very good.

“Yes, it’s diminished for a Celtic team, but that’s got nothing to do with us.”

Livingston travel to Glasgow seeking to rack up a ninth successive victory in all competitions, albeit they were robbed of the chance to continue their momentum when Wednesday’s clash with Aberdeen was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

However, Martindale is confident that will no adversely effect their preparations – and will even allow them to get an extra full training session in.

“It does’t really change our build up,” added Martindale. “It means I could get more intensity into the players on Thursday, whereas that would have been a recovery session.”