There is an added significance to this year’s Scottish Cup Final as it also serves as a proxy Europa League 3rd Qualifying Round game. Because the two Portugese teams contesting the EL final this week are already qualified for European competition, the Scottish Cup winners move up a place in the EL rankings - the cup winners are ranked higher than the second placed league team in the qualification rules.
In the event that Stokes remains sidelined I’d expect Commons to come in for Mulgrew as the only Celtic change to the team that beat Motherwell in the league yesterday. If Stokes is recalled then I don’t think he’d even start but Murphy would probably drop off the bench. In fact with only 3 substitutes available McCourt and Juarez are likely to lose their places too, leaving us with:
Plenty of talk in Celtic cyberspace tonight that the entire management team are to sign 3-year contracts ahead of the final.
Haven’t seen any definitive Celtic team news so far this week. Would expect Stokes to be left out again with maybe Commons coming back in for Forrest. As usual, I would prefer not to play with two out and out wingers and would instead retain Mulgrew on the left. It would effectively be the same team that started away to Hearts last Wednesday week.
So the rumour goes. Neil confirmed in his press conference yesterday that he had been disciplined and it was ‘an internal matter’.
larry, I think he’s all right but has plenty of areas to improve on. We played our best football of the season in January and February when Hooper and Stokes were in full flight.
Can definitely see one of the three players we have on yellows getting their jotters in the second half. Not a great performance, should bring Stokes and Forrest on for Samaras and Majstorovic IMO.
Delighted for Neil in particular but also the players, the rest of the management team and the supporters. Stunning strikes by Ki and Mulgrew and we should have had more with a little more composure. This is just the beginning. Roll on next season.
Ki had an excellent match, dispelled any notion he should be sold. Comes across as a really decent chap too, and has some of the most fluent English I’ve heard from a footballer.
