The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Beware Celtic backlash
Premiership: County manager McIntyre believes PSG mauling will not help his team
Ross County manager Jim McIntyre fears Celtic’s crushing midweek humiliation against Paris St Germain will make not one ounce of difference to the scale of task facing his team today.
McIntyre, preparing for the sixth Parkhead trip of his Dingwall managerial career, has twice secured draws and is yet to be beaten by more than two goals in the east end of Glasgow.
Despite that decent record, McIntyre is braced for a backlash following the Champions League group stage hammering inflicted on Brendan Rodgers’ team.
McIntyre said: “I really don’t think there will be any hangover for Celtic. They will just put that to one side and learn from it, then get ready for the next game.
“What has been highlighted recently is when Celtic make a number of changes, it is quite seamless. That is the sign of a really good squad and one that is very confident in what they’re doing.
“So the game doesn’t become any different for us at all, based on the other night’s scoreline. Our objectives stay the same. We know we are going to have to be compact, hard to get through and break down.
“But we also need to get the balance right of being able to counter-attack well.
“The biggest thing in trying to get a result at Parkhead is not just everybody playing well, it is concentration levels. We’ve got to handle that, but equally we’ve got some really good players here who are very good on the ball – and we’re going to need that.”
Statistics show Celtic rarely lose on a return from European to domestic football, but St Johnstone did take a point at Parkhead in the aftermath of the Hoops’ group stage qualification game against Astana.
McIntyre added: “We have to make sure we offer that threat, just like St Johnstone did recently in the first half against Celtic. Equally, then, their goalkeeper had to make some really good saves in the second half and the woodwork helped them out a couple of times.
“Going to Parkhead, we do need a bit of luck but, by the same token, we’ve been there before and picked up positive results.
“There’s no reason why we can’t do it again.”
McIntyre, who worked with Rodgers at Reading under Tommy Burns, holds his counterpart in high regard and knows Celtic, on their day, could easily do a PSG-style job on County.
McIntyre said: “There have been games between us and Celtic where it has been close, although Celtic generally dominate possession the way PSG did against them the other night.
“But teams lose games. Footballers aren’t robots. Sometimes you go into the lion’s den and pick up results.
“The belief is there from us we are capable of going there and picking up a result, but we need to play really well and concentrate for the full 90 minutes plus.
“Celtic are relentless. They are non-stop in the way they keep going.
“That’s the challenge that lies in front of every team that goes there.”
“Have to be compact, hard to get through and break down”