Post by Admin on Sept 27, 2011 15:46:55 GMT
Stick with them
By BILLY McNEILL
Published: Today
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DANIEL MAJSTOROVIC is not as bad a defender as people are making out.
Nor is his Celtic team-mate Glenn Loovens.
I fear without proper backing their confidence will end up being shattered. As an added consequence the Hoops' chances of success will also be jeopardised — starting against Udinese on Thursday night.
I watched Saturday's win over Caley Thistle and didn't see the so-called disastrous performances from the pair as was portrayed by their critics.
Sure, there were a few moments of hesitancy and uncertainty.
Let's examine the facts which shouldn't be overlooked when judgement is being passed on the partnership.
Majstorovic has not been a regular this season, and when he has featured he's had a number of different partners.
Loovens was the latest for him against Inverness and naturally enough they often showed a lack of understanding.
Double acts need TIME to develop. John Clark and I played beside each other at the back during the most successful period in Celtic's history.
We didn't just click during one match or over a few weeks.
We needed a few seasons together before we had a real awareness of each other's styles.
I felt we actually had a form of telepathy — we just instinctively knew where the other was and our responsibilities were clear.
Jock Stein, of course, was another massive reason for why we were a good partnership.
As a former centre-half himself he forever talked to us about what was required and kept us right.
Clarky and I always shared a room on trips. There wasn't much we didn't know about each other and that closeness carried into games.
Our positions were among the most important in the team and we knew we had to keep any mistakes to a minimum.
We were good players, but we had our separate strengths.
In particular I was good at attacking high balls, and John was happy to leave me to take the lead with those.
For his part he would pick up the pieces and break up attacks.
John was terrific. He played with such calm assurance. It was a pleasure for me to be his partner.
Majstorovic simply hasn't had the same opportunity with Loovens.
Sure, they have been team-mates for over a year — but there has not been a sustained spell of them playing together.
With Majstorovic also not playing as much as he'd have liked he is also working his way to form.
That combination of factors, plus the reality playing for Celtic leaves you under intense scrutiny, and it's working against the big Swede.
I like him as a player and I appreciate the way he is positive with his defending, both in the air and on the ground.
There are no airs and graces with Majstorovic. He just gets stuck in. I don't agree he's playing as badly as is being made out.
As for Loovens, my feelings about him are much the same.
It has been overlooked that he was out for six weeks with a hamstring problem.
Then on his return to fitness he was thrown back in against Atletico Madrid in Spain.
That was always going to be a tough task for him, as it would be any defender.
Loovens had only played one game before his injury.
He is trying to find his form as quickly as possible — and when you are doing that beside an unfamiliar partner then it is hard.
I accept there will be a few fans out there reading my opinions and thinking I'm just making excuses for Majstorovic and Loovens.
Having played centre-half for Celtic for 17 years I'm merely trying to bring some insight and reason to the debate.
Majstorovic was sent off in Sion after a minute for a tackle which also conceded a penalty and put the team 1-0 down immediately.
Then came the 4-2 defeat at Rangers and I'm not going to try to claim Loovens, or any of the other defenders, were brilliant at Ibrox.
It's the one game I've seen this season where I would say it was a shocker defensively but I want to assess Majstorovic and Loovens fairly.
One thing is for certain, I bet both of them read some of the criticism of their performances on Saturday and vowed to shut up their detractors.
What better way for Majstorovic and Loovens to do that than against Udinese in the Europa League?
They will be desperate for Neil Lennon to keep them together so they can provide the right response.
Udinese are at a far higher level than Inverness.
Majstorovic and Loovens will be all the more motivated now to face the likes of Udinese hitman Antonio di Natale.
I know Lennon doesn't exactly have plenty of options for the centre of his defence due to injuries blighting his rearguard.
If I were him I would stick with the Swede and the Dutchman.
I would be delighted to see them keep out the Italians.
Celtic played a lot of good stuff last Saturday and the quality of the goals from Joe Ledley and James Forrest were superb.
In my eyes that gives them hope against Udinese.
By BILLY McNEILL
Published: Today
Add a comment
DANIEL MAJSTOROVIC is not as bad a defender as people are making out.
Nor is his Celtic team-mate Glenn Loovens.
I fear without proper backing their confidence will end up being shattered. As an added consequence the Hoops' chances of success will also be jeopardised — starting against Udinese on Thursday night.
I watched Saturday's win over Caley Thistle and didn't see the so-called disastrous performances from the pair as was portrayed by their critics.
Sure, there were a few moments of hesitancy and uncertainty.
Let's examine the facts which shouldn't be overlooked when judgement is being passed on the partnership.
Majstorovic has not been a regular this season, and when he has featured he's had a number of different partners.
Loovens was the latest for him against Inverness and naturally enough they often showed a lack of understanding.
Double acts need TIME to develop. John Clark and I played beside each other at the back during the most successful period in Celtic's history.
We didn't just click during one match or over a few weeks.
We needed a few seasons together before we had a real awareness of each other's styles.
I felt we actually had a form of telepathy — we just instinctively knew where the other was and our responsibilities were clear.
Jock Stein, of course, was another massive reason for why we were a good partnership.
As a former centre-half himself he forever talked to us about what was required and kept us right.
Clarky and I always shared a room on trips. There wasn't much we didn't know about each other and that closeness carried into games.
Our positions were among the most important in the team and we knew we had to keep any mistakes to a minimum.
We were good players, but we had our separate strengths.
In particular I was good at attacking high balls, and John was happy to leave me to take the lead with those.
For his part he would pick up the pieces and break up attacks.
John was terrific. He played with such calm assurance. It was a pleasure for me to be his partner.
Majstorovic simply hasn't had the same opportunity with Loovens.
Sure, they have been team-mates for over a year — but there has not been a sustained spell of them playing together.
With Majstorovic also not playing as much as he'd have liked he is also working his way to form.
That combination of factors, plus the reality playing for Celtic leaves you under intense scrutiny, and it's working against the big Swede.
I like him as a player and I appreciate the way he is positive with his defending, both in the air and on the ground.
There are no airs and graces with Majstorovic. He just gets stuck in. I don't agree he's playing as badly as is being made out.
As for Loovens, my feelings about him are much the same.
It has been overlooked that he was out for six weeks with a hamstring problem.
Then on his return to fitness he was thrown back in against Atletico Madrid in Spain.
That was always going to be a tough task for him, as it would be any defender.
Loovens had only played one game before his injury.
He is trying to find his form as quickly as possible — and when you are doing that beside an unfamiliar partner then it is hard.
I accept there will be a few fans out there reading my opinions and thinking I'm just making excuses for Majstorovic and Loovens.
Having played centre-half for Celtic for 17 years I'm merely trying to bring some insight and reason to the debate.
Majstorovic was sent off in Sion after a minute for a tackle which also conceded a penalty and put the team 1-0 down immediately.
Then came the 4-2 defeat at Rangers and I'm not going to try to claim Loovens, or any of the other defenders, were brilliant at Ibrox.
It's the one game I've seen this season where I would say it was a shocker defensively but I want to assess Majstorovic and Loovens fairly.
One thing is for certain, I bet both of them read some of the criticism of their performances on Saturday and vowed to shut up their detractors.
What better way for Majstorovic and Loovens to do that than against Udinese in the Europa League?
They will be desperate for Neil Lennon to keep them together so they can provide the right response.
Udinese are at a far higher level than Inverness.
Majstorovic and Loovens will be all the more motivated now to face the likes of Udinese hitman Antonio di Natale.
I know Lennon doesn't exactly have plenty of options for the centre of his defence due to injuries blighting his rearguard.
If I were him I would stick with the Swede and the Dutchman.
I would be delighted to see them keep out the Italians.
Celtic played a lot of good stuff last Saturday and the quality of the goals from Joe Ledley and James Forrest were superb.
In my eyes that gives them hope against Udinese.