Source: Team_Talk
Auld: Ibrox a platform for Loovens
The Dutchman, 25, signed from Cardiff last summer on a four-year deal for a reported fee of £2.5million, but has failed to break up the partnership of Stephen McManus and Gary Caldwell.[LNB]However, with skipper McManus out through injury for the trip to Govan, Loovens will slot in beside Caldwell as the champions look to at least maintain their one-point lead over Rangers at the top of the SPL table.[LNB]Lisbon Lion Auld, who starred in the Celtic team which won the European Cup in 1967 when they beat Inter Milan, feels the home of Celtic's biggest rivals is the ideal place for Loovens to show manager Gordon Strachan and the Parkhead fans that he can perform on the biggest of stages.[LNB]"There is no better place for him to show what he can do than Ibrox," said the former Celtic midfielder. "He is a typical Dutch footballer in that he is confident, comfortable on the ball and has composure.[LNB]"I would like to see him a bit more defensive minded but he is commanding in the air at both ends of the park.[LNB]"He has pace although I think he sees Scottish football as a bit hurried and it sometimes takes him a bit to get going.[LNB]"But Ibrox is the place for him to say, 'I want a permanent place'."[LNB]Strachan will have to do without suspended midfielder Scott Brown again and reports claim that left-back Lee Naylor is struggling with a stomach muscle complaint.[LNB]Defender Darren O'Dea remains a doubt after missing training for most of the week with a hamstring injury and with Mark Wilson also sidelined, the Celtic boss has problems at the back.[LNB]However, Greek striker Georgios Samaras has recovered from a thigh injury which kept him out of last week's win at Aberdeen.[LNB]Midfielder Barry Robson, who has been out since February with an abductor muscle injury, resumed training this week and could be in for a shock recall to the side.[LNB]Auld would welcome back the Scotland midfielder - but harbours doubts about his readiness for such an important game.[LNB]He said: "Celtic have missed Robson and I think Scotland have also missed him.[LNB]"He can create and score goals and he wins his 50-50 challenges.[LNB]"But you would need to be working with him to see if he is ready for this game.[LNB]"It is one thing to be fit and taking part in training but another thing to be twisting, turning and picking yourself up after hard tackles.[LNB]"He will be bursting to play in this game but sometimes a manager has to save a player from himself."[LNB]With his Old Firm experiences dating back to the 1960s, Auld added caution to his prediction of a Celtic win.[LNB]"I think Celtic will win but it doesn't always work out the way you think it will," he said.[LNB]"I've played in loads of Old Firm games and there have been times when we were the better team but have lost the game.[LNB]"I have also played in games when Rangers were the better team and the ball has broke nicely for us to score and you come off thinking,'how did we get away with that?'[LNB]"So it's never easy to say who will win these games.[LNB]"But the first 20 minutes will be a testing time for both teams and it will be a case of who settles first."[LNB][LNB]
