Burley times it just right to leave visitors heartbroken

Ken Gallacher
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15 Dec 1997

THE late strike from Craig Burley which gave Celtic this victory emphasised yet again that the team which Dutchman Wim Jansen has put together in a few short months has a resilience about it which all trophy-winning teams must possess. Against a Hearts team which had led the premier division since early in the season - and which remains on top despite this defeat - a positive result for Celtic was essential. It came, eventually, at a time when Hearts appeared to have managed to cling to survival and when Celtic seemed to have run out of ideas. However, what Celtic never run out of is determination. It was that quality which saw Henrik Larsson, already suffering from the injury which made him limp from the field a minute later, persevere against Alan McManus, and against the odds, and knock over the cross which found Burley at the far post. As a relieved Jansen said afterwards: ''Craig Burley is the kind of player who knows when it is the right time to come forward into the penalty box. ''We always tell him he does not have to do it 100 times, but just at the right time and that is what happened here. He always does this for the team and it was very important he did so today. ''In the first half we had a couple of chances and we had some more in the second half and, while we had to be patient, I think it was right that we won the game. We deserved the result.'' There was no doubting that. Once again Hearts did not attempt any real attacking against the Parkhead team until they had gone behind. They followed the same pattern in their first league game against Celtic at Tynecastle. On both occasions any positive play they demonstrated came only after the games had moved beyond their reach. However, their manager Jim Jefferies insists that their attitude will be different when they face Rangers this coming weekend at their own ground. That game was always looking crucial for the Edinburgh club's title hopes, but after dropping five points in less than a week it takes on even more importance for them. Said Jefferies: ''We will have to improve against Rangers next week but we will do that. It will be a different game next Saturday and the players will be up for it. ''Today we just did not compete as well as we should have done. The Celtic lads were first to every ball, especially before half-time, and we have no complaints about the result, although we know that we should have stopped that goal. ''Alan McManus had the chance to clear the ball and didn't do so and that allowed Larsson to get in his cross. Then, Neil Pointon, just back after injury, was tiring and he missed the cross and that allowed Burley the scoring chance and he took it. ''We really didn't do enough in the game until late on and by then it was over.'' Hearts, indeed, should have competed better than they did and they must do so in the future if they are to maintain their title challenge. They have now kept going until the half-way mark in the season. Perhaps their players should examine a video of this game and learn from Celtic just how a controlled aggression, and a competitive spirit, can grind out results even when, at times, the chance of victory may appear to have gone. Celtic did not show the flowing, attacking play which dismantled Dundee United in the Coca-Cola Cup final and there was some dissatisfaction and impatience in the stands as Regi Blinker failed to capitalise on the amount of possession he was given by his team-mates. Blinker rarely got in a cross which counted and many of the fans let him know that - which prompted a defence of the Dutch winger from his fellow countryman and coach Jansen. Said Jansen: ''When people start to yell at him, that doesn't help. It is better if people encourage Regi. ''We know what he can do for us and we are happy with him, but sometimes his confidence can be damaged and we have to watch for that.'' No doubt that was the reason for Blinker's disappearance from the action after 58 minutes when he gave way to new signing Harald Brattback. Celtic had injuries to defenders Marc Rieper and Stephane Mahe as well as Larsson's knock to worry them after the game. The calf injury which caused the Danish centre half to be substituted after only 25-minutes looks to be the most serious. Jansen conformed it was a recurrence of the same problem which almost kept the player out of the Coca-Cola Cup final. Meanwhile Celtic are reportedly planning to unload fringe players who have played little or no part in the first team since Jansen began to place his own personal stamp on the side. Gordon Marshall, Tosh McKinlay, Brian McLaughlin, Tommy Johnson, Malky Mackay and Stuart Gray will all be sold if suitable offers arrive at Parkhead. Johnson, of course, looks sure to return to England, while McKinlay knows he must move on if he is to retain his World Cup place with Scotland. Next games: Celtic -Hibs (h). Hearts - Rangers (h).

Taken from the Herald