United were embarrassed admits Jackie
Cheers all round as McCann is back to see super Celts blitz United
MANAGER Jackie McNamara and captain John Rankin last night both condemned Dundee United’s performance at Celtic Park as an embarrassment.
Having impressively dispatched Aberdeen and Motherwell in their first two fixtures of the Premiership season, United arrived in Glasgow confident of making it three wins out of three — but were blown away by the champions, who marked flag day by racking up a resounding 6-1 victory.
While Ronny Deila’s team were sharp and full of invention, the visitors struggled to execute the basics, losing four goals from set-pieces and barely troubling home goalkeeper Craig Gordon until Rankin’s deflected strike in the 71st minute.
‘It was a bit embarrassing, the defending at set-pieces especially,’ said McNamara (above).
‘I have to say that’s very unlike us so far. I was confident coming to the match today as I felt we could come and, not just participate, but win it.
‘But, if you don’t do your jobs properly — the fundamentals — then you will get punished.’
On-loan Manchester City defender Jason Denayer gave
THEY came to pay homage to Fergus McCann but, by time up, it was bunnets doffed to Ronny Deila.
All the new manager’s rhetoric on energy, tempo and speed manifested itself in the Norwegian’s first outing at Celtic Park as a much-praised Dundee United side were blown away by a performance worthy of champions.
The cheers that greeted Deila’s team at the interval and the final whistle were palpably louder than experienced at a domestic fixture here in some time — and McCann has to take his share of the credit for helping to shape the mood.
Once booed in the act of raising a championship flag at Celtic Park, history has been kind to the club’s returning saviour and he was suitably cheered to the rafters.
He responded with a raised thumb before addressing the crowd thus: ‘What an honour it is to be here — just to be here at Celtic Park with you. Things can go up, and things can go down.
‘Celtic, I hope, will go on forever. Three years as champions is something to celebrate.’
After unfurling the flag, he conducted the crowd in a rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone while making his way across the pitch to his seat in the North Stand, the first section of the ground restructured under his revolutionary stewardship.
They were selling McCann’s trademark headgear in the club store and, as the crowd revelled in their tribute, the current chief executive, Peter Lawwell, could put away his tin hat as the supporters’ protestation at his own frugal stewardship was put on ice.
It helps, of course, when the team is functioning so well. Yes, United were abject and never came close to delivering on the promise of the back-to-back victories claimed at the start of this season.
With five different players on the scoresheet including home debut goals for Jason Denayer and Jo Inge Berget, Deila’s team were a delight.
In Anthony Stokes, they had the game’s best performer, even if the Irishman would have been disappointed to depart the fray without netting a goal.
Now in his seventies, McCann looks frailer than the figure who rescued the club from bankruptcy 20 years ago, but he also seemed relaxed and having more fun as he enjoyed a rare trip from Canada.
He was still posing for photographs as both teams came within inches of opening the scoring.
Callum McGregor tried first, striking the post from distance and then Efe Ambrose, included at right-back after Adam Matthews sustained a calf injury in the warm-up, was shrugged off by Stuart Armstrong, who found Gary Mackay-Steven with an exquisite pass marginally more precise than the finish, which crept wide.
United clearly fancied their chances of maintaining their 100-per-cent start to the season but, sprightly as they were, their inability to defend a corner-kick made the result certain before half an hour had passed.
Denayer printed his name on the scoresheet when Callum Morris headed Kris Commons’ corner straight into the on-loan debutant’s path.
Denayer has been recruited from Manchester City to stop goals but he conjured an instinctive finish that arrowed into the top corner.
The second goal was even more straightforward, Stokes providing the set-piece cross and Commons enjoying the novelty of a headed goal to open his account this season.
No 3 came from open play but featured the same level of United ineptitude. Morris again contributed with a slack pass to Paul Paton, who delayed too long on the ball, allowing Stefan Johansen to nip in and shoot past Radoslaw Cierzniak.
United were actually lucky to go in three behind. Stokes could have bagged a hat-trick as he peppered Cierzniak’s goal, while Berget shook the goal-frame to its foundations with a powerful drive.
Craig Gordon started his first competitive game in over two years at St Johnstone in midweek and continued with the same calm authority, saving at the feet of Nadir Ciftci early on and then turning the same player’s shot wide following Charlie Mulgrew’s lapse after the break.
The stand-in captain made amends as he glanced home Stokes’s freekick for the fourth and then Berget got in on the act, nodding in from close range after Stokes’ corner was headed across goal by Ambrose.
John Rankin pulled a goal back with a deflected shot but a rapid counter-attack saw Celtic restore the five-goal advantage.
Substitutes James Forrest and Beram Kayal were the creators, the Israeli’s overlap resulting in a cross to the back post where Berget squeezed home his finish.
After the trauma of Legia Warsaw, Deila no longer need cringe at the mention of a 6-1 scoreline.