RUTHLESS CELTS SHOW NO MERCY
Griffiths and McGregor rip Hearts apart as Invincibles get off to flier
By Fraser Mackie BRENDAN RODGERS, in a dreamy moment the other day, admitted he would love to be reunited with Philippe Coutinho. The reality really isn’t so bad for the Celtic manager. For playing and starring in that creative role yesterday was Callum McGregor, the architect of a slick Celtic display that suggested more ruthless dominance of the domestic game is afoot in a new season.
McGregor’s 73rd-minute goal was just rewards for efforts at trying to find the net himself, teeing up a second for Leigh Griffiths and a display that Hearts were at no point able to restrain for all the attempts at upping the physical approach under interim boss Jon Daly.
After offering Ian Cathro empathy, Rodgers granted Daly no mercy. Freed from the stress of Champions League qualifying, the same players plotting a path to the European elite comfortably disposed of their first Ladbrokes Premiership opponent.
This was as facile a flag day as Celtic have enjoyed. A decade of Scott Brown formed the theme of this year’s festivities, the Celtic skipper having the honour of the ceremonial unfurling. He was the darling of Celtic Park pre-match. The part of villain was never in doubt with a former Rangers striker on the field for 70 minutes.
Kyle Lafferty introduced himself to Celtic Park again with three fouls in the opening five minutes. A fourth earned him an overdue caution and he sailed mighty close to a red. Mikael Lustig certainly wanted to see that colour, waving his pretend card at referee Kevin Clancy as the Northern Irishman went to ground easily.
Within a minute of Lafferty clashing with Kieran Tierney midway through the second half, his action for the day was wisely brought to an end by Daly. Not that the striker was finished with having his version of fun. He was kind enough to bring a Hearts shirt out for a young away fan after the final whistle but, of course, couldn’t resist jawing with Celtic supporters giving him stick as he marched back up the touchline with Tynecastle No2 Austin MacPhee escorting him to the dressing room.
Celtic’s own bad boy had plenty to celebrate. Injury and insolence dealt Griffiths a stuttering start to the season. He missed European games through UEFA suspension and fitness issues. Here, business as usual on the home front.
A 40-goal forward in 2015/16, Griffiths lost his place in the team and scoring charts to Moussa Dembele and Scott Sinclair. He looks in a hurry to reel in those who eclipsed him in that friendly rivalry this season and started with a double, taking his club-career goal tally to 200.
Away from the tensions that had set in under Cathro, this was a more imposing Hearts team. Being forceful is no guarantee of derailing this Celtic side, however, and not one Hearts defender was within two yards of Nir Bitton as the makeshift centre-half spurned a free header four minutes in.
Fixing Hearts may not be that difficult. The talent is there and, if the model to follow is Craig Levein mentoring a manager like he did with Robbie Neilson, then the solution is already in place with Daly. Neilson was 34 when promoted from coaching the Under-20s. Daly is 34 and going on the attack for his club against the pre-match comments of his opposite number was powerful stuff.
The weeks ahead are sure to be harsh. There is a trip to Ibrox and home games at Murrayfield. They’ve overcome the worst of it, surely, with a Betfred Cup exit and a visit to the champions. The selection and display of midfielder Lewis Moore, from Cowdenbeath loan to Celtic Park — and on only his second start — was Daly placing his own stamp on the side.
If only he’d found more time to teach left-back Rafal Grzelak the art of playing offside then Hearts might have seen the first half hour out. As it was, Griffiths profited from the Pole chasing down the striker as he moved to latch on to a terrific long ball from Bitton.
Out of line with his back-four colleagues, he placed Hearts in all sorts of bother. Jack Hamilton held firm first time to bat away from Griffiths but the striker was brighter than both the keeper and Grzelak on the rebound to gather, side-step the defender and tuck the ball home all in one movement.
Another bonus for Celtic was Griffiths somehow managing to bite his lip — or, in this case, his shirt — and celebrate without offering some kind of message to the Hearts fans. The breakthrough marked the start of consistent fire at Hamilton.
His best first-half save denied midweek hero James Forrest another goal. The most impressive move of the game saw Forrest and Griffiths work wonders in the tight space afforded to them before Brown’s back heel guided McGregor clear. The star man on the day dragged his shot just wide.
All Celtic needed was an early hit in the second half to confirm they would remain invincible for at least one week of a second season. They were thankful for an errant Aaron Hughes clearance making that task a simple one. The veteran swiped and missed clearing from a corner, the ball cannoned off his other leg and landed kindly at the back post for Sinclair to tap in.
A Hearts tired, McGregor’s pace and movement became more difficult to tame. Brown’s concise pass down the inside right set McGregor off. He clipped his cross over as Christophe Berra snapped at his feet, gifting Griffiths an easy header from half a yard out.
The fitness of Griffiths was safeguarded as Jonny Hayes took his place, with McGregor given a similar ovation from the Celtic support when withdrawn just after opening his account for the domestic season. His finish from the edge of the box after great work from Sinclair was emphatic.
Isma Goncalves beat that strike for ferocity but it was never going to be more than a consolation for Hearts. With six minutes left, the substitute capitalised on Celtic minds maybe drifting to upcoming engagements as he barged Jozo Simunovic off the ball to beat Craig Gordon with a right-foot rocket.