Kerr prepares for Masters bid

The Celtic Old Bhoys head to Liverpool on Sunday looking to win the British Masters for the first time.

After seeing off Rangers, Hearts and Dundee United the old hoops find themselves in the British final which must have turned into a marketing nightmare.

Think Merseyside and you get Tranmere, think London and it's QPR, think Manc and it's Bolton!

TRANMERE

No doubt the organisers would have been looking for Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United to join the hoops but it's not such a funny old game when you end up with Tranmere, QPR and Bolton Wanderers.

Celtic face Tranmere in the quarter finals with former Hoops keeper Stewart Kerr looking forward to a reunion with an edge.

Any outsider looking in may think that it's a jolly for the old boys on show but with an indoor arena under the lights of Sky TV things get intense and very competitive.

Kerr said: "Obviously it's different to play in these events from watching on telly. The standard is quite high, over the years younger players are getting involved and it's definitely a hard shift.

"When I watched it on telly I never realised how wide the goals are, that was quite a surprise.

FORGIVING

"It's a good format and hard work. The surface isn't the most forgiving, goalkeepers are heavily involved, the goals are quite big and the organisers are wanting to see plenty of goals flying in.

"The secret is just to keep the ball, we really found that out in the Scottish event, when we were keeping the ball our luck started to change.

"The Scottish Masters was very enjoyable, after a bad start it turned out well and now we're looking forward to the British event and going on to win that.

"There is no form in these events especially with this stage being a straight knock out. In the Scottish Masters we lost our first game 3-1 against Dundee United but beat them in the final."

ATTRACTION

The social side of the event is a big attraction with players from different eras getting together to exchange stories and catch up with each other.

The Celtic side that won the Scottish event covered a few playing eras dating back to Andy Walker and Mark McNally from the troubled early 90s to the excitement created by Pierre van Hooijdonk with Tom Boyd a constant through to the trophy winning days on the naughties.

Kerr's Celtic career covered the good, the bad, the painful and the memorable with the stories certain to flow when they meet up again in Liverpool.

"It's great to meet up with folk that you haven't seen in years," the keeper said. "You quickly go back into team-mates mode.

"There's a few square-ups when you're playing as usual but afterwards they are quickly forgotten about. It's great to get competitive again.

"Everyone just switches back into their playing mode, there is always pressure on you to win at Celtic and the supporters are there to see you win."

Kerr on Artur Boruc

Kerr video from Scottish Masters

'Back to basics suits Artur' says Stewart Kerr

by Joe McHugh
Former Celtic keeper Stewart Kerr is convinced that Artur Boruc is back to his brilliant best after brushing up on the basics.

Boruc's full length save from David Wotherspoon at Easter Road on Sunday certainly caught the eye but there were other aspects of his game that appealed to Kerr.

As a goalkeeping coach, at First Division Airdrie, Kerr is well qualified to comment on Boruc and is certain that the Pole is back to the sort of form that made such an impact in his first three seasons as a Celt.

IMPRESSED

Kerr said: "Artur is always going to make good saves but the things that I've been more impressed with have been the basics of the game. His positioning has been spot on.

"His concentration looks a lot better and hopefully that will continue. He looks to have the basics right and that's what every 'keeper needs.

"Last season he was getting criticised from certain quarters. He had a tough time of it, maybe he was expecting a move and he played all year round after being at the European Championships.

"People don't realise how much it takes out of you when you are playing constant football, especially in big games, mentally it can be very hard.

"This season he looks to have worked really hard in pre-season and that's shown in the games that he's played so far."

ZALUSKA

The arrival of Lucasz Zaluska from Dundee United appears to have added benefited Boruc with his fellow Pole providing strong competition for the goalkeeping position.

"Competition keeps you on your toes,"Kerr added. "It really helps you day-to-day when there is another high class keeper working with you in training. You help and push each other in every session.

"Every keeper I've worked with likes working with other keepers, it's a healthy position for the club to be in. Keepers stand up for each other.

"Stevie Woods is now the goalkeeping coach at Celtic, he's worked his way up through the ranks and will be working hard with Artur.

FINE TUNING

"A goalkeeping coach can't come in and tell someone like Artur what to do, you can't change his style. All that a goalkeeping coach can do is some fine tuning and find out if there any problems.

"You have to get into their heads and make them confident, work on things they are struggling with. At that level it's about tweeking things a little, with first team keepers it's a case of fine tuning and being there for advice when it's needed.

"Any team that wins anything rarely has a bad goalkeeper. Every successful team has a top keeper, if you are going to win things then you have to have the goalkeeping position secure."

Kerr will be back in action himself at the weekend as Celtic travel to Liverpool to take part in the British Masters

Part Two of this interview tomorrow as Stewart looks forward to the Masters event.

Did Paul Hanlon dive?

Of course he didn't, but how did the Hibs defender end up on the ground?

Almost forgotten amid the frenzy of condemnation aimed at Aiden McGeady is the fact that his 'victim' Paul Hanlon ended up on the ground during the incident.

BBC HIGHLIGHTS (only viewable in the UK)

At the match I was sure that Hanlon had fouled McGeady and that's what referee Dougie McDonald was recognising as he reached for his yellow card.

RIDICULOUS
McGeady's ordering off seemed a ridiculous decision but after watching it a good few times on television it seemed to become more of a marginal decision, contact didn't appear to take place but it certainly wasn't as cut and dried as the Eduardo incident.

There was enough in the incident to say that something had happened before taking into account the fact that McGeady had already been booked the incident took place on the half way line and the attention that any diving would attract post-Eduardo.

It is possible for two young athletes running at speed to end up grounded without any contact being made. That doesn't make either or both of them cheats.

McGeady has made a career out of skipping past and avoiding heavy tackles as footage of his early days on ash pitches testifies.

INTERNATIONAL
If he went to ground easily he'd never have developed his talents and made it through the ranks to being a regular in the Champions League and international football if he was prone to falling over.

The attacks on McGeady didn't take long to emerge from predictable sources with equally predictable agendas, background that doesn't need revisited.

With the transfer window creating a frenzy of speculation and excitement the events at Easter Road will be allowed to die with attention turning to George Burley although no doubt he'll be asked for his tuppence worth.

Should any Scotland player hit the deck in the upcoming internationals the treatment they receive from the media will be interesting.

WINDOW
More importantly there seems to be a fair amount of movement going on at Celtic today.

Darren O'Dea has signed a new three year contract and swiftly moved on to Reading until January at least with the deal being reviewed again to see if it should be extended through to the end of the season.

Chris Killen also seems to be moving on with Doncaster Rovers appearing to be favourites, hopefully there will be some incoming transfers with plenty of options on the radar of Tony Mowbray and his scouting staff.

McStay: I felt like Mourinho

by Joe McHugh Ujpest Dozsa boss Willie McStay couldn't contain his delight as his side came from behind to beat Haladas 3-1.


The win lifted Ujpest into third place in the table trailing leaders MTK Budapest by three points with six games played.

Ujpest were behind until the 73rd minute when Peter Kabat equalised with McStay losing his cool when Foxi Kethevoama put his side in front.

The former Celtc coach admitted: "When the second goal went in I was off running down the track just like Jose Mourinho!

"It was a tough match and we worked hard to get ourselves level and then in front. With a break coming up for international football it was important to get the points.

MEANINGFUL
"Being back involved competitively with games every week is a great feeling. I enjoyed my job at Celtic working with players and developing them but it's good to have meaningful games at the end of the week be involved in.

"The move was a bit of a step into the unknown for me but I'm delighted that I took the opportunity.

"At half-time away to Steaua Bucharest I was walking across the pitch with Joe McBride. We were drawing 0-0 and I told Joe that this is what the game is about.

"We did really well against Steaua but just didn't have enough. It was a great experience and I wouldn't be surprised if they were to go far in the Europa League."

Ujpest have won three, drawn two and lost one of their opening six games to trail MTK and Fehervar with Debrecen sitting in fifth place with two games in hand.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Debrecen qualified for the Champions League last week where they were drawn in Group E alongside Liverpool, Lyon and Fiorentina.

The Champions League cash that will come their way should ensure that Debrecen retain the Hungarian title with McStay already feeling the effect in the transfer market.

The Ujpest boss explained: "I've put in bids for three different players but on each occasion we've lost out to Debrecen who've came in with bigger bids.

"We're looking for a striker and a left sided midfielder, hopefully we can bring someone in before the transfer window closes.


STUDYING
"There are a lot of good players in Hungary and it's great to get hands on and find out what's really happening rather than just studying coaching methods for a few weeks.

"The job is a big challenge for me but it's something that I've probably needed. It's different but enjoyable and I'd love to win something for the club."

Ujpest website

Hungarian league table

Evening Herald, Dublin

Ignore the distractions and concentrate on another three points

Regardless of the distractions of the transfer window, Eduardo and disappearing chairmen Celtic have to pick up on their impressive domestic form today at Hibs.

The widening gulf between the SPL and the Champions League is evident to all after the Arsenal matches but the world can't be changed before kick-off at Easter Road.

This weekend is incredible for stories, almost everything carries credibility with the transfer window closing down but retaining our 100% record before the international break is essential.

BORUC

Hibs have caused Celtic plenty of grief in recent seasons but with Artur Boruc back on form that should be one door closed leaving our creative players to cause some damage.

The least said about our last trip to Easter Road in May the better, it was an afternoon lost as a predictable 0-0 draw handed the title initiative to Rangers.

Today it will be all new with anyone betting on a 0-0 draw likely to attract some very strange looks.

Putting aside the defeats from Arsenal won't be easy but the best way of getting over them is to power ahead domestically with winning the league almost certain to provide direct entry into the group stage of the Champions League.

STOKES

There is no reason to fear any team in the SPL. Every club has been forced to tighten their budget with Anthony Stokes at Hibs the only significant arrival at any club during the close season.

This season's Celtic won't go out to counter their opponents by matching their brawn in midfield, due diligence is carried out but against the background that Celtic will have enough fire power and creativity to see off whatever our opponents have to offer.

That attitude breeds confidence, it can be a risky policy but as the team continues to win confidence grows and belief that the system has the answers, last season there were plenty of matches where Celtic just kept on playing away without creating a worthwhile chance without varying their play.

SUBSTITUTES

Tony Mowbray's use of substitutes has been interesting, no one is too big to come off with the manager looking to 14 players for every match.

Aiden McGeady and Shaun Maloney were replaced against Arsenal when all hope of a win had been lost, they are both certain starters at Hibs and will be expected to be the match winners.

Last season's title was lost by the dreadful form away from home. The opening day win at Aberdeen suggested that the negativity has gone.

If Celtic can kick off the new season with wins at Aberdeen and Hibs then they'll have laid to rest last season's away day demons and set the agenda for every game this season backed up with the belief that they have the ablilty to win whoever they play, home or away.

JAMES FORREST first team call-up