One-way traffic on the pitch in east Belfast, as long as Celtic players didn’t venture too close to one of the corner flags, where resistance and opposition was of the illegal kind, as a virulent section of Linfield supporters rained coins, bottles and half full paper cups of coffee on to Celtic players and any unfortunate stewards who were in the way.
The problem first became apparent at the first goal on 16 minutes from a Celtic corner taken by Leigh Griffiths, who then turned to the Linfield supporters in the North Stand behind him and made a gesture as projectiles landed around him. It was a similar story at the South Stand in the second half as Celtic attacked, and Griffiths was then booked as he picked up objects off the turf, including a bottle, and delayed taking a corner kick in the process.
It was only after the full-time whistle that things threatened to get really out of hand, with Griffiths this time acting as agent provocateur. I watched closely as the Celtic players went to the West Stand, where 200 of their supporters, mostly locals, had been allowed into the game despite the Glasgow club not making tickets available to their fans.
A Celtic supporter handed a green-and-white scarf to a steward who then gave it to Griffiths. The Celtic striker then tied the scarf round the goalpost at that end. It wasn’t quite Graeme Souness planting a Galatasaray flag in the centre of Fenerbahce’s pitch, but it was a red rag to a bull nonetheless. More missiles rained, Linfield supporters in the bottom tier of the South Stand surged, but only one made it onto the pitch and ran in the direction of the players before being apprehended. Then the riot police moved onto the pitch and eventually everybody drifted off, including the individual who had chucked his empty quart bottle of Buckfast in Griffiths’ direction.
There has been worse, much worse, at local derbies between Linfield and Glentoran for example, but Linfield may still be in trouble with UEFA, even if the Celtic players never looked as though they had been knocked out of their stride.
Advertisement
“It was disappointing he got bottles thrown at him,” Griffiths’ teammate Scott Sinclair said afterwards. “Everyone was scratching their heads over why he got a yellow card. No one has said why he was booked, but it happens. You get on with it and carry on with the game.”
By Celtic and Sinclair’s current high standards that was clearly not enough against the part-timers who are champions of the Irish League. “There should have been more goals. We need to keep the tempo up when we control games and finish them off. The aim was to break them down, but sometimes they ended up as a back six or seven.”
The Linfield manager, David Healy, made it abundantly clear after Friday’s game that the return leg on Wednesday would involve an even greater attempt at containment by his side. In two visits to Parkhead as a Rangers player, Healy was on the losing side both times against Neil Lennon’s side and he ranks the current model designed by another Irishman as a step up in class.
“This Celtic team — no disrespect to the Celtic teams I played against — are miles ahead of anything in Scottish football,” said Healy after the dust had settled on Friday evening. “I think they proved that with their opening 45 minutes when we were probably a little bit fortunate to get in at only 2-0. As many times as they did cut us open, we conceded two set play goals, which was disappointing.
“They have beaten, hammered better teams than us last season in Scotland. So for us to come out of it with a 2-0 is a positive result I think. And I hope it’s dressed up like that, I hope it’s not about Linfield no hopers.”
Advertisement
While Celtic only managed two goals, their movement and interlinking was a pleasure to watch. Besides dominating in Scotland and Northern Ireland, they look capable of doing something in the Champions League this season, should they qualify for the group stages and manage to keep hold of some of their best players even when the likes of Southampton come calling.
Their place in the scheme of things, however, can probably be best summed up by the reports that they are interested in signing the troubled QPR centre back Steven Caulker, who both Brendan Rodgers and Sinclair know from their time together at Swansea City six years ago.
“He would be a great signing,” says Sinclair. “The manager knows him well from being at Swansea. He had an amazing season there and hopefully he can get his career back on track. This is a great club to be at for him as well. I’m sure he looks at myself and can see I was going at a crossroads. There is no better place to be at than Celtic. If he ever spoke to me I’d tell him it’s the best place to be.”
NEW SIGNING NITCHAM IMPRESSES ON DEBUT FOR HOOPS AGAINST LYON
New signings Olivier Ntcham, Kundai Benyu and Jonny Hayes all impressed as a much-changed Celtic went down 4-0 to Lyon at Celtic Park.
Brendan Rodgers’ side bore no resemblance to the team which dispatched Linfield 2-0 on Friday night, although Hayes, making his Celtic Park debut, had played the last half-hour in Belfast.
Advertisement
Benyu had an effort cleared off the line in a first half which saw the home side settle into a good rhythm despite early pressure from the French Ligue 1 visitors. Moussa Dembele led the line for the Hoops, and, with Nir Bitton and Callum McGregor also playing, Rodgers opted for a blend of first-team regulars and debutants, while he also gave run-outs to academy players later as Lyon stepped up a gear.
Celtic’s progression on Wednesday will be untroubled, on the pitch at least, and they will be back across the Irish Sea if Dundalk can improve on the 1-1 draw against Rosenborg when they travel to Norway. Either way a tougher test awaits in the next round, albeit of the hatred-free variety.