European: Celtic news thread

Juninho is staying after turning down chance to leave

Brazilian star Juninho has confirmed he turned down the chance to leave Celtic during the January transfer window.

Juninho has failed to make the expected impact at Parkhead since his summer move from Middlesbrough and had looked set for a quick exit.

The Boro legend is believed to have been a target for Premiership Portsmouth, but a move failed to materialise.

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Craig Bellamy will miss Celtic's Scottish Cup tie at Dunfermline due to East End Park having a plastic pitch.

The controversial Welshman could have made his debut in the Scottish Cup fourth round tie at Dunfermline, but the plastic pitch is a problem.

Bhoys boss Martin O'Neill says that Bellamy's past injury problems mean that he should not play on the plastic surface.

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Celtic defender Stephane Henchoz has added his voice to the list of critics of Dunfermline's plastic pitch.

Henchoz made his debut for Celtic on the plastic pitch on Sunday and he admitted he was not a big fan of the surface.

"When you make your debut you tend to be much more anxious, but especially playing away on that surface," said Henchoz.

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Martin O'Neill is convinced Craig Bellamy will be a success at Celtic - provided he does not fall out with Chris Sutton. The Parkhead boss is not concerned about the new signing's "bad boy" image as Bellamy prepares to make his debut against Inverness Caledonian Thistle at the Caledonian Stadium. But O'Neill has warned that getting on the wrong side of Sutton could be worse than falling out with Graeme Souness.

He said: "I thought that just his presence at the training ground last week gave everybody a lift.

"You could see that in the performance last Sunday.

Sportinglife

hehe....

bellamy was supposed to have made his debut today, but up in inverenesss, it was supposed to have been heavy snow so it got canceled.

he missed last weeks game too agaisnt dumfermline cos there pitch is shady

celtic - rangers preview

The race for the SPL title continues on Sunday as champions Celtic host leaders Rangers.

Celtic Park will be a cauldron of tension as this weekend's clash is one of the most eagerly anticipated Old Firm games in recent years.

Martin O'Neill's appointment at Celtic proved the catalyst for the club's current ascendancy over their Glasgow rivals, but this season has seen Alex McLeish's side make several improvements.

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[Edited on 2/20/05 by rynaldo82]

a bad one here, agathe is ruled out for quite a while

Didier Agathe has undergone surgery to find a long-term solution to his troublesome groin injury.

Agathe told the Celtic View that the procedure on a longstanding problem was the last resort - but insisted that he could no longer play on at less than full capacity.

"I had the operation last Monday," said Agathe.

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Bobo Balde claims leaving Celtic for Birmingham City or Middlesbrough would have been a backwards step for his career.

The Guinea international was due to be out of contract at the end of the season and the Premiership duo were both keen to sign the defender on a free transfer.

Pre-contracts were offered to the 29-year-old but Balde opted to snub the overtures from south of the border.

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Neil Lennon's contract talks with Celtic are continuing, but the midfielder admits a move away from Glasgow is still an option he is considering.

The former Leicester City star is out of contract in the summer and the Scottish champions are keen to extend his stay at Parkhead.

The 33-year-old opened talks last month and although negotiations are ongoing - Lennon has admitted he could yet depart.

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Hearts midfielder Paul Hartley has revealed that is now happy at Tynecastle after missing out on a dream move to Celtic in January.

The 28-year-old has been highly influential for Hearts so far this season and has chipped in with a weighty contribution of nine goals.

However, when Martin O'Neill's giants came calling during the transfer window Hartley put in a transfer request, only to see his club reject three offers from The Bhoys.

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Celtic boss Martin O'Neill has sprang to the defence of under-fire goalkeeper Rab Douglas.

The Scottish international has come under fire following his blunder in last weekend's Old Firm defeat to Rangers.

Douglas' future at Celtic remains uncertain, with his current contract due to expire at the end of the season, and reports suggesting Leicester City are keen on his signature.

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well. not far from me, well..2 minutes away from me Celtic where at Clyde to play in the cup

Celtic started really poorly, just soo slow at doing anything at all. and clyde got a goal chopped off. which i think celtic needed to wake them up

Then varga scored, a header so that was good for him. in the 2nd half they took of sutton and they played well better. juninho played really good, maloney came on too for sutton and won a penalty, and thompson convereted. then petrov scored a good goal, varga scored a header and bellamy scored his first. which was a good goal

Craig Bellamy has come under attack from Clyde defender Darren Sheridan for a lack of respect.

The two players had a run-in during Celtic's 5-0 cup demolition of the First Division side, a game in which Bellamy claimed his first goal for The Bhoys.

Now Sheridan has lifted the lid on the dispute, claiming that the on-loan Newcastle man was flaunting his wealth on the pitch and taunting the Clyde players.

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Martin O'Neill has told Craig Bellamy's critics to get off his back, while John Hartson wants his Welsh team-mate to sign permanently for Celtic.

On-loan Newcastle marksman Bellamy has no shortage of critics, and has come in for even more stick recently.

Celtic boss O'Neill says that he is not concerned what Bellamy does off the pitch as long as he performs when he pulls on the shirt.

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Stilian Petrov's agent says he would be happy to discuss extending the player's contract at Celtic in the summer.

The 25-year-old Bulgaria captain has less than two years left on his current deal but has become a firm favourite at Parkhead and is willing to stay.

Latchezar Tanev said: "If Celtic really want to keep the player and continue to show that, then he will stay with them.

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QPR and Wolverhampton Wanderers remain interested in signing Celtic's out-of-favour utility man, Momo Sylla, in the summer, BBC Sport understands.

Both English Championship clubs expressed an interest during the January transfer window without a transfer materialising.

But a move for the 27-year-old is more likely at the end of the season.

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After scoring the other day against hibs and playing a really good game, a guy from Hibs called Gary Caldwell went to shake his hand at the end of the game and Bellamy rejected it and made a face at him i think it was. and the guy was raging.

hes making friends quick up here in scotland

Craig Bellamy's Celtic future may well be dependent on whether the Glasgow outfit achieve UEFA Champions League football.

Whilst Martin O'Neill's side are certain to compete in the qualifying rounds of the competition, only winning the Scottish Premier League would guarantee the enormous revenue generated by a group stage spot.

The tempestuous forward has joined The Bhoys on loan until the end of the season following a bust-up with Newcastle boss Graeme Souness, and Celtic are determined to hold onto him into next year.

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Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has reacted angrily to reports linking him with the Manchester City job in the wake of Kevin Keegan's departure.

Stuart Pearce has taken over the reins at least until the end of the season but some sources have claimed that Ulsterman O'Neill is City's first choice to manage the Eastlands club.

At a press conference ahead of The Bhoys' SPL clash with Dunfermline, O'Neill appeared to be growing tired with the constant speculation regarding his future.

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Martin O'Neill admits that Celtic face an uphill battle if they want to keep hold of on-loan striker Craig Bellamy.

The Newcastle rebel has bagged two goals in his first four matches after moving north of the border in January, although financial considerations may hamper any permanent deal.

The SPL outfit may not have the clout to prise away one of The Magpies' most valuable assets in the summer, but O'Neill has not given up hope that a deal can be reached.

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