Howdo you stop this man? Here’s how
WHILE Rangers have teetered on meltdown, Celtic’s relentless domestic domination has continued.
The Hoops’ stunning form this season has had opposition clubs scratching their heads for a way to lower their colours.
Yet while bookmakers brace themselves to make huge payouts on Brendan Rodgers’ side becoming Scotland’s Invincibles, the player with the country’s best record against them insists they can be beaten.
And Paul Quinn should know. He has managed the trick with THREE different Scottish clubs.
The Ross County skipper scored for the Staggies in their celebrated League Cup semi-final triumph in January, 2016.
Four months before that, he netted the winner for Aberdeen in a Premiership fixture to send Pittodrie into raptures.
Throw in his Celtic Park win with Motherwell in 2008, plus a handful of draws against them in his time playing in claret and amber, and all evidence points to him being the man holding the magic formula.
If you need to dig in and try to win ugly against Celtic, then that is what you do
Of course, the present Celtic side looks a cut above what Rodgers’ predecessors put together.
But Quinn insists the giant-killing formula remains the same.
“It is something I have been thinking about more and more as Celtic’s run has stretched on,” said Quinn.
“I have had my moments against them and really relished the wins with all three of my teams.
“That seems a long way away now because they have built up an amazing momentum and are sweeping opposition teams aside.
“They have some terrific footballers and there is no question Brendan Rodgers has got them all enjoying the game, playing with loads of confidence both in themselves and in those around them.
“The fact Manchester City, with all the attacking weapons they have, were unable to beat them home or away in the Champions League earlier in the season says it all, really.
“The pace and movement right throughout the team is very impressive. Not just right through the team but right through the squad.
“That is possibly the most impressive thing of all. Although the manager rotates his team a bit, they always have the same belief.
“Time and time again it has helped to get them out of difficult situations, games in which they have been behind or struggling to break down a well- organised defence.
“Opposition players see that, and I think we could be at the stage where they are starting to buy into the idea that Celtic can’t be beaten.
“It feels like they are almost waiting to get hauled back into the match.”
Which, Quinn argues, is the complete opposite of the approach required.
“No Scottish team can live with them over the course of the season, there is no question about that,” he said.
“However, this is football, and in a one- off game we know that anything can happen.
“All the clubs trying to upset the odds against Celtic just now need to remember that.
“Our win against them in the League Cup semi- final was the perfect example of what I am talking about.
“Going into the match, I am not sure anyone would have given us much hope of winning. Celtic were overwhelming favourites.
“Celtic went one up almost immediately (ironically through a Highlander, Gary Mackay-Steven) and I am sure would have thought that was them on the way to booking a place in the Final.
“Then Efe Ambrose gives away a penalty, taking down Alex Schalk and gets himself sent off in the process.
“So, just like that, we get handed a brilliant chance to equalise and a man advantage into the bargain.
“We take it and it is an entirely different game.
“I managed to score a second for us with a header just after the break, then Alex wrapped it up with a third when Celtic gave us extra space pushing for an equaliser.
“That got us through to the Final and the rest is history.” Quite. The result was a repeat of County’s victory over the Hoops in the Scottish Cup semi- final in 2010.
Where on that occasion they went on to lose to Dundee United in the showpiece, this time they followed up by beating Hibs to claim the club’s first-ever major trophy.
“To win the League Cup with a
club who only joined the senior ranks in the mid- 1990s was amazing and definitely shows what is possible for anyone,” said Quinn.
“I think for me the key is to play the match rather than the occasion, and that applies to teams taking on this Celtic team.
“You want to be as composed as you can be and focus 100% on what you want to do, not what the opposition are doing.
“If you need to dig in to try and win ugly, then that is what you do
“If that means throwing your body in front of the ball to block shots then, again, that is what you do.
“If you are in that situation, you are probably going to need a bit of luck to get through it.
“That applies to everyone, though. Even Celtic themselves.
“Take their game against St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park the other week.
“Who knows what would have happened had Craig Thomson not awarded the penalty that never was.
“Saints were leading 2- 1 and doing really well. In the end, Celtic won it 5-2.
“Those are the fine margins you are.talking about. One refereeing decision or a break of the ball can make all the difference.
“You have to have the belief you can get over the line. That when the final whistle blows you are the ones left celebrating.”
But will anyone manage to put a spoke in the wheel of this Brendan Rodgers side?
“My gut instinct is yes,” said Quinn. “We are not out of February yet, so there is a lot of football still to play.
“And all the other teams will want to go down in the record books as the team that stopped their run.
“I don’t think it will happen in the Scottish Cup. Their desire to get the Treble should get them through those ties.
“The league games right at the end of the season, those ones I am not so sure about.
“In the end, I think we might just need to gang up on them!”