Celtic firm favourites but Scottish Premiership title still in Rangers’ hands despite Dundee draw

Georgios Samaras reckons Matt O’Riley is definitely on his way out of Celtic this summer.

Denmark star O’Riley, 23, was the subject of a failed bid from Spanish giants Atletico Madrid in January after another outstanding season for the Hoops. The playmaker is expected to be in the running to be crowned Scotland’s Player of the Year and could add to his Parkhead trophy haul by getting his hands on a league and cup Double.

It’s understood the Scottish champions will demand around £25million for the Treble-winner and ex-Bhoys cult hero Sammy believes it’s inevitable the £1.5million bargain signing from MK Dons will move on to a bigger league after two-and-a-half years in Glasgow.

The former Greece international told Ladbrokes Fanzone: “I’m 100 per cent sure Matt O’Riley will leave the club at the end of this season. He’s out. He had a great season last year, he’s had another fantastic season this time around, and we’re clearly seeing him develop year on year. He came from League One in England and he’s giving his team something every single week… he’s so talented. His goals, his assists, his general performances… I think he’s at the peak of his Celtic career. Now, the best thing for him, and the club, is to go and find the best offer for him in the summer.

“He can play in any team, that’s for sure. OK, it would be more difficult to play for any of the top four in England, and he’s probably not ready yet to join those clubs – but I have no doubt in his ability to go and perform at a similar level in the Premier League. It’ll be a case of who can afford him.

“Celtic have a very expensive asset in Matt O’Riley, so I’ve no doubt they’ll get a huge transfer fee for him. And I’m not just talking about the Premier League, by the way; this is a guy who I could see in Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy… any of their big clubs, I can see him going and standing out anywhere in Europe.

“Celtic sell expensive. In the last 15 years or so, clubs from all around Europe, and further, have spent big to sign Celtic players. I don’t know about the exact price, but I know it’ll be a lot for O’Riley. Celtic know how to sell, and they know how to buy. Ever since I’ve known the club, I’ve had nothing but confidence in them when it comes to selling players for the right price, and I’ve got no doubt they’ll do the same when it comes to Matt.

“The good thing for anyone leaving Celtic for a big club somewhere in Europe is that they won’t need to adapt to the pressure and expectation of a huge crowd, or the experience of playing European football, because they’ll have had all of that at Celtic.”

Brendan Rodgers on the unreal Celtic player moment before Rangers as he reveals ‘miscalculated’ call

The powers that be at Parkhead talk a lot about the Celtic Family. But it’s hardly been like the Waltons around Glasgow’s East End this season.

At times it’s been more like the Gallagher brothers after a three-day bender, with fans and the hierarchy constantly clashing. But Brendan Rodgers is getting a sense the club is coming together and becoming one big happy family again. And it took the absence of Celtic fans to make it happen, with the Ibrox away support shutout last weekend forcing diehards to show their backing in a different way.

Rodgers expected some punters to turn up to Celtic Park to see the squad set off for their pre-match hotel 24 hours before the Old Firm showdown. He didn’t expect thousands pitching up for a party. Rodgers was blown away by the backing and thrilled his side came out of Ibrox unscathed and still bang in the hunt for the title. And he’s looking for more of the same in the final push for Scottish Premiership supremacy.

When asked about the send off, Rodgers said: “It had a big impact. It was amazing. They told me here there would be a couple of hundred supporters.

“Then I got a call coming up saying they’d miscalculated and there were a few more. So when I turned around the lights and saw everyone, it was a huge lift. Did it surprise me? No. The support of this club is incredible.

“Without being able to be at the stadium, that was their way of giving us a great send off. A lot of the new guys especially were taken aback by it – as was I. It gave us a real lift driving away.”

Rodgers has said numerous times previously he needs the club and support on the same page. And that’s his message for the rest of the campaign, with St Mirren today and next week’s Scottish Cup semi with Aberdeen for starters.

Rodgers said: “Just keep the faith. Keep giving us that incredible support, it makes the difference. I’m sure there will be some edgy moments throughout the six games and in the cup game. But just keep the faith, keep with the team, give us everything and we’ll give you everything back on the pitch.”

That’s what Rodgers got at Ibrox last weekend. Rangers boss Philippe Clement claimed a moral victory but the Celtic gaffer felt his men gained more than a crucial point. Hoops had to deal with a second- half surge from Gers, while dodging debris raining down from the stands, but Rodgers is convinced his side have emerged stronger.

He said: “I thought the integrity of the team, how they played, how they conducted themselves in the game, was fantastic. We were really attack minded. We had to go through moments of pressure and that’s when you’ve got to bite down on the gum shield and dig in. We did that, we came through and we looked as though we could win the game.

“I always maintain it’s the hardest place to go if you are a Celtic player. We’ve got some difficult fixtures, but we know when that fixture comes around we’ll have the energy of 60,000 supporters behind us at home. We’re in a really good place.”

Still, nothing continues to come easy for Rodgers this term. Daizen Maeda’s injury comes just as Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate are coming back. But the Irishman is convinced he has enough weapons for the big fight ahead. That includes on-loan frontman Adah Idah, who pounced from the bench last weekend.

Rodgers may have been guarded on talk of a permanent deal for the Norwich striker but there was no coyness about the attacker’s impact. The boss said: “The player was available for loan, is enjoying his time here and, come the end of the season, we’ll sit down and see where we are at and take it from there.’

‘I am delighted for Adam. I communicate regularly with him and the whole idea was to get to the end of the season and bring him here and I feel that his impact can not only help the team, but also the other strikers here.

“I think it’s no coincidence that Kyogo’s game has gone to another level again with that competition, bringing Adam in. You have two different types of strikers there, one with penetration and movement who is sublime, who can score a goal.

“Then you have another guy who can run in behind but is more the target player who can take the ball in and also score goals. So, to have that ability to be able to change the game in that manner and look at each way is brilliant.

“It’s brilliant to have Adam here with the other strikers and for me he has made a great impact. He has all the tools and certainly has a lot of potential. I know he is really enjoying it here at Celtic and enjoying the pressure of being here and has responded really well.”

Rodgers will need everyone on board and he will demand the Ibrox standard every week from here on. He said: “It’s exciting but you just have to go into each game.

“We are bringing a big level to our game, we have big players back and are functioning well – like we showed in that first 55 minutes last week, when we were outstanding with our football and our intensity and our attacking mindset. We can only look to ourselves and try to produce that level of performance.”