Jerel Ifil will get his first taste of Scottish football today has he is set to make his debut for Aberdeen against Celtic in the early kick-off at Pittodrie. The defender signed from Swindon this week goes straight into the squad for manager Mark McGhee's first SPL game in charge of the Sons. McGhee has some familiar faces back in contention in Zander Diamond, Michael Paton and Bertrand Bossu who have all recovered from injury, but Tommy Wright (calf) will still be an absentee. McGhee says he was dreading his first league game of the season before he managed to secure the signature of Ifil. But now the new Dons boss cannot wait to tackle his former club. The game provides McGhee and his players a chance to wipe the memory of the 8-1 Europa League humiliation delivered by Sigma Olomouc. Hampered by injury and denied previously-promised transfer funds, sitting in the dug-out for the two legged tie McGhee must have wondered whether he had made the right decision in leaving Motherwell. However, a week is a long time in football and McGhee's optimism has now returned, thanks to the signing of centre-back Ifil and the return from injury of a trio of players.
He said: "A week ago, I felt trepidation, but I think we've sorted a lot of what was causing me that anxiety. We have people back fit now and we have bought in another centre-half. We also moved everyone on fitness-wise and we're ready for the start of the season. I think the lads feel as if they came out of the mist, as it were. They see that they're now in much, much better shape than they were a week or two ago. Thankfully, we've arrived at this point just in time." McGhee admits he would rather not be playing Celtic this weekend but warned his side are ready to take advantage if their opponents' thoughts turn to Tuesday's Champions League clash with Arsenal. He said: "If I were a Celtic player, I'd certainly have that at the back of my mind. If I were the manager, I'd have that at the back of my mind. But I think the first game of the season is such a game where everyone is supercharged anyway and it's difficult to hold that energy back. It'll be like releasing a flood. Regardless of games on Tuesday night, it will be a full-blooded encounter."
Celtic headed north knowing that Gary Caldwell will not be taking part due to a suspension carried over from last season. With Stephen McManus still out injured, Darren O`Dea looks set to partner Glenn Loovens in the centre of defence. Tony Mowbray is ignoring pre-season predictions that his side are set to win the SPL title back this season. Since taking over from Gordon Strachan in the summer, Mowbray has changed his first-team squad by adding Landry N'Guemo, Marc-Antoine Fortune, Danny Fox, Josh Thompson while goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska arrived from Dundee United after having signed a pre-contract agreement. Mowbray is not for taking part in the prediction game before any sign of league form has been sighted.
He said: "The so-called experts have an opinion and I respect them but the bottom line is that it will be won or lost on the football field. Hopefully we have a striker who can score 30-plus goals and a defence that can keep clean sheets and Rangers will be hoping the same, and other teams as well. But I am not going to sit here and take any interest in what anybody else says about my team and I'm sure it doesn't influence any of my players. It seems like it has been a long pre-season. We've been to Australia, Russia, Wales and England but we are looking forward to the start of the SPL season as I'm sure every team is at the moment. We have been playing some competitive games but now we are playing for points and league tables will be thrust in to our faces - probably on Sunday morning. The fixture list has thrown up some difficult fixtures at the start, away to Aberdeen and Hibs, in between two difficult games against Arsenal. So it is a big ask for us but we look forward to it." | Editor
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