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Trivia
- The team were installed at Callantscog on the Dutch coast, where both Barcelona and Ajax had done pre-season before.
- The two names left in the frame for the Head Coach’s position appeared to be either Gerard Houllier or Bertie Vogts. Eric Black was confirmed as Assistant Head Coach even though there was still no Head Coach (who might indeed want to appoint his own assistant).
- Paul Lambert sought talks with Jock Brown to clarify reports that the delay in his signing had been due to Brown ‘not fancying him’. Lambert had appeared to be particularly affected by the resignation of Jansen and the sacking of MacLeod.
- Stewart Kerr, now fit and on the pre-season tour, was making noise about wanting to be installed as No 1 choice goalkeeper. At the same time Sheffield Wednesday were interested in taking him down south.
- Tom Boyd, Jackie McNamara, Marc Rieper, Craig Burley, Morten Wieghorst, Simon Donnelly, Paul Lambert, Darren Jackson, and Tosh McKinlay were all on extended leave after the France ’98 World Cup. Mahe was still recovering from his knee injury from the end of last season, Larsson was injured, David Hannah had a hamstring injury, Annoni was injured, Brian McLaughlin was still recovering from a shoulder injury sustained when on loan the previous season….oh – and Phil O’Donnell started another season injured with a calf muscle strain
Review
Not a good start; no Head Coach; a loss to an amateur side; Tommy Johnson out with another knee knack that would require complete knee reconstruction and keep him out for nearly all the season.
Teams
FC Hollandia: Heiblok, Eygenhgein, Knijn, Appelman, Meyer, E Paske, B Rijkhoff, Zaoudi, J Rijkhoff, Boots, Mettivier Meyer.
Substitutes – Frankfort, R Paske, Piesot, Fritz, Van Dijk, Velt Meyer, Bauuer, Koen.
Scorers: Veltmeyer (50), Zaoudi (83)
Celtic: Kerr, MacDonald, Borland (Potter), Stubbs, Mackay, Healy, Smith, Johnson (Vaugh), Brattbakk, Burchill (Elliot), Blinker.
Non Used Subs: Gould
Scorer: Blinker (11)
Referee – P Van Dongen
Articles
- Match Report
New Johnson injury blow as Celtic slump
The Scotsman 10/07/1998
FC Hollandia 2 Veltmeyer (50), Zaoudi (83)
Celtic1 Blinker (11)
CELTIC endured a nightmare start to their pre-season in Holland last night when Tommy Johnson was taken to hospital with a knee injury and they lost 2-1 to an amateur side, albeit the best in the country.
FC Hollandia were worthy of their surprise victory, but of far more concern to the Scottish champions' management team was the scare over Johnson.
There were fears last night that he could have ligament damage to his right knee – the same injury that sidelined him for three months last season.
The luckless striker had the knee X-rayed at a local hospital, but a proper scan can't be carried out until the team returns to Glasgow tomorrow night.
Celtic's caretaker coach, Eric Black, said: "This is a big blow for Tommy. We are all sick about it. He has worked extremely hard and we hope it is just a tweak to the knee that has provoked something, rather than the ligament being severed."
Johnson twisted his knee when his studs were caught in the turf after only 23 minutes of the first pre-season match.
The club's general manager, Jock Brown, added: "It's very annoying for him and he was in quite a bit of pain, not only because of the knee but also in disappointment. He has worked for the whole summer – he never stopped trying to get the strength back into the knee.
"Everyone feels for him. He's a very popular player and we are all concerned about him."
Events began miserably for Celtic when Harald Brattbakk rounded the goalkeeper in the fourth minute, but missed an open goal.
Regi Blinker showed him the way in 11 minutes by sweetly despatching a Peter MacDonald cross past Heiblok before, five minutes into the second half, Martyn Veltmeyer shocked Celtic by driving home an equaliser.
The teenager should have been marked tighter considering he had been farmed out by the Dutch champions, Ajax.
But worse was to follow for the tourists when, with seven minutes remaining, Stewart Kerr failed to hold a shot from Rene Biesot and Mohad Zaoudi clipped the rebound home.
Black refused to be downhearted, however, considering he had fielded five youth team players in the starting line-up.
He said: "We have given ourselves a run-out after what has been a demanding two weeks of training. I was particularly pleased with Colin Healy. I thought he was outstanding."
The Irish youngster will probably keep his place in the team for tonight's match, while injuries are likely to rule out David Hannah, Phil O'Donnell and Henrik Larsson. John Paul McBride could play.
- Manager Interview