Scottish Cup Final Preview | ‘Brendan Will Have the Team Laser Focused’

Paul & Chris look ahead to Saturday’s Scottish Cup Final at Hampden Park between Celtic and Rangers.

The Hoops should come into the game high on confidence after securing another league title and also with a strong record head-to-head in the derbies this season (W3, D1).

00:00 Intro
02:30 Kyogo or Idah?
09:00 The Psychology
12:06 Joe Hart
13:43 Headaches for Brendan Rodgers?
15:39 James Forrest & One Club Men
19:01 The Pressure
22:02 Prediction
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what’s happening folks welcome back to Celtic fans TV as the previous show for the cup final at hamon on Saturday against Rangers Chris is back with us as he often is to look ahead to these Derbies um Chris it’s the the showpiece game at the end of the season uh we’re coming off the of winning the league title how do you feel going into this one in the weekend well just to reflect back on you know the season it was you know an unbelievable finish to the season from the team eight wins from our final nine games that’s the performance of Champions and I fully expect that we’ll carry that momentum into the Weekend Paul our form has obviously been excellent we have essentially no injury worri that we are aware of you know Brandon Rogers essentially has his first 11 he can pick from in a very strong bench whereas Rangers are are you know struggling to get players that they would want to have on their team either fit enough to make the bench or potentially fit enough to play 60 maybe 70 minutes if they’re lucky so we couldn’t really be in a better place but as we all know Cup finals are form really I think think does kind of go out of the window especially with these one game um winner take all formats I mean look going into the Aberdine semi-final we we were probably expecting that we should win that game comfortably but we defended poorly on the day Aberdine played well caused us a lot of problems particularly at the back post and um that game went all the way to penalty kick so you never really know what you’re going to get but in terms of going into the game I don’t think we could be in a better place in terms of squad Health form and of course confidence probably being at an all-time high because I think we’ve played our best football in the last four games in particular um you know pockets of the sent mid game aside and probably a portion of the Dundee game but the other games against Harts and Rangers and karik we were absolutely superb and you know as a fan you can’t really ask for much more in terms of your preparation for a a significant showpiece Cup Final yeah I agree and I think just to touch on the the cliche there it’s the oldest cliche in the book isn’t it that form goes out the window and I think often in these derbies in recent years it’s actually stuck to form um we’ve gone in a lot of times H in good form and and more often not came top but I think you’re right I think a cup tie is different a cup final is certainly different there’s nothing to lose there’s no there’s no draw in the game there’s no context of a league table to think about um and I think that’s that’s notable because you think about the approach Rangers I’ve had recently um they’ve they’ve really struggled against us I think in each game under clont they’ve been two n down against us um and in some of those games they’ve found a way to play better after going two n down and they’ve come at us um and and got back in the game certainly in that 3-3 uh game at I Brooks but they haven’t really successfully put us under pressure from the first whistle this season and so how do you think they’ll approach do you think they will approach this a bit more aggressively play with maybe a bit more freedom and try and presses up the pitch because that’s key for us and what I want to link it to as one of the team selection choices for Brendon Rogers is who plays up front is it kogo or is it adamita and when we went to vug park H the game we won the league last week he played ader because he thought K been aggressive at coming to presses at rugby park um and he that was brilliant he gave us that out ball where we could just go into his feet um and he linked the game brilliantly so where do you stand on that do you think Rangers will be be more attacking than they have been in in recent uh meetings against them Paul that’s a fantastic question and and I’m not sure if I if I know the answer but I’ll I’ll do my best I find it hard to believe that Rangers will be more aggressive in their press because I’m just not sure they’ve got the match fit Personnel to be able to do that in the middle of the park and I think that’s where the where the Press really needs to happen right is from the front to the back from if if you think deser isn’t really known for his pressing high up the park I’m not saying that he can’t do it and I think clemont would be foolish not to play kwell ahead of Lawrence I think every Rangers Fan is hoping that they see kwell or Tick Tock Todd as we love to refer to him you know in the starting 11 but I think I’m just not sure Rangers can play with that kind of press um and be effective against us I mean and also the games we’ve played against them this year their approach has been the same every time they don’t have an identity as a football club and as a team they just don’t have one they love the long diagonal ball or they love the ball down the channel and if if if SEMA is obviously able to play any part in the game he will certainly carry a threat down Greg Taylor side of the park but I’m just not sure Paul that they are going to be able to do that and I also think that that could be a significant problem for them if they leave pockets of space for O’Reilly and hati because we get through that counter press really quickly we’re going to cause them no end of trouble through the middle of the park and down the wide channels where MAA and Forest of recent have just been tremendous in every facet of their game both in goals delivery into the box uh and just bringing the front six to have a really good cohesive attacking and potent um you know approach to the game so I I think that could be very damaging for Rangers if they choose to do that and history just leads me to believe that they’re not going to approach the game any differently now let’s just say hypothetically Paul that they do do that um I think kogo has to start and I’ll tell you why his record against Rangers number one and one right behind that is his record in semifinals and Cup finals he has been absolutely lethal in these types of games a double in the League Cup Final last year against Rangers scored in the league in the Scottish Cup finals sorry against in vaness CI thisle he’s just a proven goal scorer and I feel this is just my personal opinion that now that we’ve got a settled 11 and this the team is really functioning the way Brandon Rogers wants it to play I think he’ll go with kyogo but we have the luxury that if say it’s not working after 45 60 minutes because Rangers do decide to be a bit more aggressive in their press then the option of having Adida for the 90 the rest of the 90 minutes and potentially extra time is a huge Plus for us because you’re not wrong he was fantastic against s Marin allowing us to play play through that press and we just sorry karik sorry and we just absolutely absolutely tore them to shreds as a result yeah absolutely I think you’re right I think that that flexibility that we’ve got um is a is a huge strength bow um and Brandon Rogers has used it wisely recently um we’ve got a lot of big goals out Adam and there’s there’s a a very strong argument to be made that we wouldn’t be sitting here as as as League champions again without the influence ad the me distance here in January but as you say it’s really hard to Discount kyogo in these games not just against Rangers but also at hamen um he’s got a brilliant record and he’s a big game player you always feel like he’s going to H deliver in these games I I think you make a good point in terms of angers coming to presses you can make a case why they why they would do that um because what they’ve been doing up to this point hasn’t working for them but I think you’re right whether they’ve got the ability and the quality to do that properly um and they want to take that risk uh because we’ve got the players who can play through them um at speed on that big hand and Pitch if they do get it wrong so um look I would go with kyogo as well um I know that people won’t be surprised to hear that but um I think he do’s a brilliant option for us and as I say it gives us that flexibility depending how the game um is set up as you see after the mark and Brandon Rogers has that ability to change it um in terms of the psychology of this game Chris we always talk about um the mentality needed in these fixtures but I think the psychology for us after having climbed the mountain um we’ve won the league title that was the big one that everybody wanted and and we’ve come out on top again there has been a party in the last seven days um I know the players enjoyed it on Wednesday night um and then we had trophy day on Saturday as well so do you think maybe a a point of caution or danger for us is maybe that psychological dump from going from the high of winning the league and really the the marathon of The League season being finished and us having won it to then still having this this one game to play where we still need to be at a high level going deliver I would say under normal circumstances I might be very weary of that drop off Paul particularly in from a psychological perspective but I’ll tell you why I’m not for two reasons number one Brendan Rogers right he’s just not going to allow the players to have anything but a laser focus in training this week in our preparation and you can be certain that how we have hurt Rangers in the four games in which we’ve played them this year will be of a Paramount focus in the video review and the preparation tactically and secondary to that will be where Rangers have caused us a a few issues in the game this year he will be laser focused on that as well the other reason and I think sometimes things are just written the story is written and we wrote Our Own Story this year as as as you know Celtic FC have tagged and created their wonderful six and a half minute video um but it’s Joe Hart Joe Hart’s last game going out in a cup final I just feel like the added motivation the way the team is going to probably rally and feel galvanized around Joe har I think is another factor that leads me to believe will’ll be nothing but laser focused going into this game Paul with a view to sending Big Joe off into the sunset with a league in cup double and you know with our absolute best best wishes like I’ve absolutely grown to love Joe heart he has fundamentally changed my opinion of him he gets the club he gets us as supporters he he understands the ethos of the club he’s just been an unbelievable servant for the three years and I consider us extremely fortunate that an POA kogu made that phone call Joe Hart agreed and we’ve been the benefactors of three wonderful years and it’s for all those reasons Paul that I just feel like we will be prepared and we’ve got we’ve got momentum on our side and it’s a cup final I have no doubt there will be some up and down moments and there may well be shifts of momentum within the game but if we play our best we will win it’s it’s that simple for me yeah just on Joe har there um this wasn’t on my agenda to talk about but those scenes on on Saturday were absolutely brilliant weren’t they I mean football’s fragile and and you think about how this season was going at one point um when Joe Hart and the team were having dips and form and and some below power performances and you think if you if you play the season 100 time’s over they don’t all end like that um and I thought it’s was such a fitting brilliant way for for Joe Hart to to bow out a Celtic Park and his last competitive match um the scenes the banner um the scenes left in the trophy at the end as well brilliant and great to hear him talk about how much that that meant to him um I think he said it’s like one of his proudest days as as a football player yeah um and he’s had a great career but to see how much um the Celtic supporters like see how much he means to um for what he’s given the last three years it was absolutely brilliant um on the flip side of that my last question about psychology you have and the positive sense for us we’re in good form we have just won the league we should be really high in confidence um that should put a huge sping in our step as well um and you’ve got to think that the psychology and the energy and the training ground this week is really good because the players have come off the back of that they’ve achieved something huge together and like you say Joe har is very highly thought of by his teammates and I think they will be um all pushing together for that to to give him the best end off possible on Saturday um we mentioned already the e or kyogo debate do you think there’s any other areas of the team uh comparing back to obviously the the last derby at Celtic park because the game against M the manager obviously made five or six changes to what you’d consider full strength do you think there’s any other positions Up For Debate to that team that started yeah this might be the shortest answer to questions we discussed today Paul but no there’s just none I mean baring any you know un unforeseen injuries on the training pitch this week the the team the 11 will be the exact same 11 that played the last Darby game at Celtic Park I mean it just has to be number one because I do believe right now that’s our strongest 11 uh and number two that that team has been getting the job done um comprehensively uh um you know in in a combination of of a few players coming in and out over the last nine games where we’ve won eight and drawn one because obviously you know maida was out for a little bit and you know Forest wasn’t fully back in the team until maybe about a month ago but the team picks itself Paul and I I could understand why some people might make an argument for Adam to play but kogo has earned the right being a big game player that thrives in big moments um to to deserve to start the game and obviously how the game plays out we we will see but I I don’t think put it this way we don’t have the same uh lineup concerns as our neighbors across the city I mean they’ve got some significant players trying to get fit um or you know potentially you know giving clemont some some headaches but I would much rather we are in the position that we are with a a very healthy first 11 and a very strong bench that um can see the game through or if we have to go to extra time then then so be it yeah you mentioned James Forest there um he’s in the 28 man squad for Scotland I know you’ll be keeping an eye on the Euros in the summer but um he deserves that doesn’t he for for what he’s brought to the team just in the last month or two um and I think the experience as well I think given the I mean we not here to talk about the Scotland Squad but I think given the options of a for Steve Clark there’s no many better in that tank area than James Forest is no and he’s you know I watched a little clip there of of Steve Clark today just talking about how James Forest is such an amazing example to young players like you’re not in the team you’re not making the bench you’ve you’ve gone through a couple injury problems but you continue to work hard you put your head down you get your manager’s attention and when you get your chance you take it I mean look I I don’t want to to to wax lyrical too much about Jamesy but honestly we are so fortunate to have had two players at the club that have played their entire career at celic in both McGregor and James forest and their contributions are absolutely massive if we win the Cup Final James Forest will be T I think I either tied or one more trophy one behind you’ll go from 23 to 24 major Hors that’s just unbelievable and he’s scored over a 100 goals for the club he’s had over a hundred assists he scored at every single season he has played for Celtic like it’s just an unbelievable resume that he puts together and look sometimes we throw Club greats and legends of the club around sparingly but I do genuinely think you could make a real argument for James Forest when he retires that he really should go down in one of those categories because the statistics and his performance for me back it up and to be doing what he’s doing at 32 years of age it’s just unbelievable like I think he’s still got more to give and I feel very fortunate that we’ve had such a talented player and I’m really happy for him and and Anthony Ralston as well for making the Scotland Squad I mean I think Taylor and M as well of course yeah absolutely right and I just think it’s it’s really great for you know all of them to be included and we’ll we’ll see what role they each have to play I mean we know McGregor’s going to play every game every minute Assuming he’s fit so um you know but yeah F fantastic for those for those Lads and really happy for James Forest I think it’s phenomenal just to see how good and also you can make an argument where would we be without James in the last five weeks Paul Fair a fair discussion to have yeah yeah you absolutely could um it’s so rare isn’t it in football nowadays that you get players like James fors and McGregor who are who are one club uh men and I think Joe Hart even touched on that in his video but his appreciation for uh the the guys that have been there their whole careers obviously we’ve got some younger likeon and Welsh and stuff but um for for guys like Callum and James that have been there their whole career um to see what it means to them and to see the standards that they set every day um I think that is really important for Celtic but also extremely rare um that the further and further Football goes um these days it’s very very uh unique so the pressure H in this game Chris always a highly pressurized fixture I think you can make a very good case for the pressure being off of us and that’s not to say that we wouldn’t be gutty to lose the game but um we won the big one um Rangers didn’t and it wouldn’t be the absolute end of the world for us um if we were to come out on the wrong side of a tight game but I think for Rangers um G the the number of defeats they’ve taken against us this season um they haven’t LED against us at any point this season over four matches um only that one draw and three defeats the pressure on them and their manager in this game is huge I agree and there’s some very hallowed records are up for being tied as a result of this game Paul so if we win this game we will be tied all time Rangers and Celtic Derby games we will be dead level if we win we will also tie them for most major honors they’ll no longer have the Mantra of most successful club in the world even though their current club’s been around since 2012 and we will also tie them for most league and cup doubles with 12 and I think there’s also another record in there that we’ll also TI tie so like I do think the pressure is absolutely all on Rangers and they’re they’re fan base will certainly not be happy going into the summer with a number of Records tumbling as well as losing you know another game to their their fiercest rival so yeah it definitely is and then also I just think the way the games have played themselves out like we we should have won all four games um you can say that they’re all by one goal and Rangers had a man sent off in both you know games at Celtic Park but the gulf in quality is there for all to see um and like I said earlier Paul if we play to our best we will win the game it’s it’s that simple for me and each as each Derby’s gone on this year Paul I I I’ll continue to ask myself well is the team going to continue to show up and I keep coming back to the man in charge right his record in Celtic Rangers games is unbelievable and undeniable he gets the job done right and I think more impressive is the four games this year when in his time through his two spells Rangers have never been closer to us if you like and if you agree in that um opinion I I personally don’t think they’re that close I think we dropped off and we gave them an opportunity and fair play to them for for making a go of it but when it really came down to it with nine games to go we won eight and probably should have won the ninth at I broos yeah absolutely um interesting as well that we end up finishing eight points clear um after clont going on and on and on and on and on about how there were seven points uh behind when he took over but H there you go that was a nice a nice way to end The League season um it should be a brilliant atmosphere Chris at hamen um absolutely buzzing for it uh hopefully we can cap the season off with another trophy with another Derby victory um I suppose the only thing left is um for your prediction which I think this season I’m four pretty accurate yeah I haven’t got the exact I haven’t got the exact score lines always correct but I have picked the results four for four um so I mean look I’ve said it so I’ll back it up I think it will be 3-1 celic um and I do I do believe even if Rangers were to score first in the game which I know has happen but it’s possible just feel like we have more than enough and our psychology is not we’re not going to panic if if that situation was to happen and I just feel like we have far more to offer um you know with with our starting 11 and our Ben strength that we can overcome any obstacles so I’ll go for for 31 celic and I’ll go weo to bag two of the three goals you heard it here first brilliant let’s hope so um Chris thank you for your time that’s it for the preview show um I’ll be back tomorrow as always with the starting 11 prediction um and then all of the reaction to the game on Saturday as well so I’ll see you tomorrow H and thank you for watching [Applause]