Goodwin says Saints have no nerves going to Parkhead
ST MIRREN manager Jim Goodwin has told his players to forget the league table and what their relegation rivals are doing when they travel to Celtic Park this afternoon.
Goodwin’s side were held to a goalless in midweek draw by St Johnstone in what on paper was the least difficult encounter facing the Ladbrokes Premiership bottom three.
However, they saw Hamilton Accies and Hearts gain ground on them following surprise results elsewhere at Ibrox and in the Edinburgh derby respectively.
Saints undoubtedly have the most demanding task this weekend. Hearts host Motherwell and Hamilton welcome Kilmarnock, while Goodwin’s men take on the runaway leaders. But the Irishman wants his side to forget what is happening elsewhere.
“There’s never any nerves when you are going to Parkhead,” said Goodwin, whose side lost 2-0 in the east end of Glasgow earlier in the campaign.
“Celtic are expected to turn up and beat us comfortably and that’s what everyone expects.
“But we know we are capable of stifling that. And we did that last time we were at Parkhead in October. We went in at halftime 0-0 and didn’t start the second half well enough, and that’s when we lost the game: in the opening 10 minutes of the second half.
“But there are no nerves. I tried to explain to the players not to get too caught up with the league, don’t worry about what Hamilton or Hearts or any team around us, Ross County, are doing.
“Just try and maintain the focus on the job that we are doing. Just make sure we are at our best every time we go out on the field.”