Rangers are sure to ask questions of Celtic in the months ahead but Lenny’s men will have all the answers again
Caldwell: Hoops will pass their 10-in-a-row exams
GARY CALDWELL insists Celtic are facing a 10-in-arow question and answer session from Rangers that will leave them top of the Premiership class yet again.
The former Hoops star is convinced it’ll be business as usual for Neil Lennon’s history chasers, despite the chaos created by Boli Bolingoli, and become a bridge too far for the Light Blues who will have to settle for second best.
Steven Gerrard’s side moved six points clear of the champions with a dismal draw at Livingston and could take that advantage to nine before the Hoops play again as a result of the Belgian’s failure to quarantine after breaching protocol with a secret trip to Spain.
But Caldwell believes the quality margin between the two clubs still remains and backed his old side to rise to the challenge once their campaign gets back up and running.
He said: “If Celtic do what they have been doing in recent seasons then I believe that will be enough to get the title.
“Last season they were challenged, Rangers asked them a big question just before Christmas and Celtic answered it emphatically.
“I believe Rangers will ask that question again as I have no doubt they have improved but Celtic have shown time and time again that they can answer those questions.
“That’s the challenge for Celtic if they are to have that historic season.”
Celtic have recruited AEK Athens keeper Vasilis Barkas and striker Albian Ajeti from West Ham but Caldwell is convinced new faces aren’t a priority for Lennon as the familiarity inside his dressing room already breeds top tier contempt.
He said: “The trophies Celtic have won and the way they have played for a number of years, they are now in the fortunate position where no major surgery is required.
“It’s now all about the quality they need to bring in to enhance what is a fantastic squad of players. Neil will know what he needs and he’ll be well down the road in trying to bring these players in.
“When you work at any football club, you understand the characters and the personalities you have within the dressing room.
“Neil works with these players every day and nobody knows better about the strengths and weaknesses and where he needs to address things.
“He’ll know exactly where he needs to strengthen but it’s not a case of just bringing numbers in for the sake of it.
“He’ll only bring players in who he believes will improve the team in terms of number one to 11.”
Caldwell also reserved a special mention for former Hoops team-mate Lennon who he believes is the only man on the planet you’d want to lead the club in a season of such significance after rebranding the entertainment from a side he inherited from Brendan Rodgers early last year.
He said: “What Neil has achieved and the work he has done since he came into Celtic on the back of Brendan leaving has been fantastic. It was never going to be an easy task to go into the club after Brendan had done so well.
“He’s managed to change the style of play and produce a style of football which the Celtic fans probably hadn’t seen for a long time.
“I also don’t think Scottish football has seen that style of
If Celtic do what they have been doing in recent seasons then that will be enough to win the title GARY CALDWELL
attacking play for a long time.
“It would have been very daunting for him but he’s handled it magnificently well.
“Having been a team-mate of Neil’s and having worked with him as a coach, I have always known he’s someone who is driven with an intense desire to win football matches.
“The standards that he sets and the demands he puts on people will only be rammed up this season, you can be certain it will never drop.
“Celtic have the right man to have the club pushing for 10 in a row, that’s for sure.”
Whether a fan free start to the season proves to be an Achilles heel for Celtic remains to be seen but Caldwell admits it could take a few weeks of performing in empty stadiums before they find their feet. He said: “I don’t know what effect having no fans will have on the Old Firm. I’ve watched the closed door games from the English Premier League and it took a while for the players to get used to it.
“You could see that teams were flat at the beginning but they adapted and got used to it and the games seemed normal to me at the end up.
“Players will adapt and get used to it, obviously we all want to have fans back inside the stadiums, it’s what makes football such a special game.
“That applies even more so for Celtic because of the supporters that they have and the atmosphere that they generate inside Celtic Park.
“The sooner that can happen, the better but players will need to get used to having no fans at games quickly.”
Caldwell left Celtic in 2010 just as Scott Brown was given the captain’s armband by Gordon Strachan and he’s backed his old mate to be the standard bearer once again.
He said: “You need a mix in the squad in terms of youth and older heads and Celtic have that.
“Broonie has been at Celtic for a very long time now and understands the club. He understands his role as the leader and he’s a fantastic role model.
“Even when a new player comes into the club, it’s Broonie who sets the standards.”