| Maloney steps up to next level
With Richard Purden
 Celtic are
now in touching distance of the SPL title after another hard-fought victory
against Hibs.
The Hoops won 2-1 at Easter Road, but the game was fraught with controversy.
Man of the match Shaun Maloney stole the show yet again, correctly being
awarded two penalties, but that didn’t stop him becoming the target
of Easter Road’s famous boo-boys.
For Celtic manager Gordon Strachan it was yet another case of sour grapes.
He said: “Shaun showed fantastic mental and physical strength. He
didn’t have the best of first halves and then missed a penalty.
“Instead of wilting, he actually went on to become even better.
He went on to a different level from everyone else on that pitch.”
The Celtic manager also refuted the suggestion from Hibs fans that Maloney
and Japanese player Shinsuke Nakamura cheated Hibs out of a victory.
“Nakamura and Maloney were brought down,” he said. “You
will get that with small players. I used to get it myself. You have to
be able to take a kick. People say Bobo is big and brave but so would
I be if I was 6ft 4ins and 18 stone. Try being on the end of it when you’re
nine stone like Shaun. That’s bravery.
“There are some good players in the SPL but I’m just glad
Shaun is one of mine.” Meanwhile the club has said no to the sale
of its retail chain. They were offered an even larger deal than Rangers
to sell their 14 shops throughout Scotland and Ireland but said no to
the lucrative deal. Rangers pulled in £48million after selling their
chain to JJB sports.
In other news, Hibs’ Tony Mowbray has tied up long term deals with
Northern Irishman Ivan Sproule, Scott Brown and Kevin Thomson. He said:
“It’s a coup to get these players to extend their contracts.
Their form has warranted it and we are delighted they have agreed to stay.
“It’s good that they all see Easter Road as the right place
for their development as football players.
“These new deals demonstrate that we are already planning ahead
for next season and beyond.”
With key Hibs players pledging their future elsewhere, Mowbray is now
keen to start securing the rest of his team for next season.
“I would never stand in the way of players. We will just have to
wait and see if that puts an end to constant speculation linking the three
players that have signed the deals with a move away from Hibs.”
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