Craig Gordon would welcome Carlton Cole signing at Celtic
Goalkeeper Craig Gordon believes old adversary Carlton Cole still has what it takes to do a job for Celtic.
The 31-year-old former West Ham striker, out of contract since leaving the Londoners in the summer, is training this week with the Parkhead club in a bid to win a deal.
The first thing Cole did on meeting former Sunderland player Gordon, much to the keeper's delight, was make reference to the wonder save he made from the England international during the Black Cats' 2-1 victory over the Hammers in March, 2008.
Gordon has only taken part in one training session with Cole this week, but saw enough to believe Cole could be an asset to Ronny Deila's squad.
The 32-year-old Scotland keeper said: "He stuck a few goals away in training, so the finishing aspect is certainly still there. That was pleasing to see.
"It's also nice that the first thing he said was he remembered a save I had against him when he was playing for West Ham. It was good he still had that in his mind from back then.
"I was going to remind him but he beat me to it. So that was nice to acknowledge that one.
"He was on my team at training, so I've not had the chance yet to make a few more saves from him. He's younger than me, he should have a few years left in him yet.
"Certainly from what I've seen in the finishing exercises he was doing he was scoring a few goals, so if he does come in it will give us something a little bit different."
Scott Allan looks set to return to the Celtic squad for the Scottish Premiership clash with Hearts at Parkhead on Saturday.
The midfielder began training again after recovering from a knock and will be assessed, as will defender Jozo Simunovic who had a twisted ankle and midfielder Stuart Armstrong (back).
Striker Leigh Griffiths missed the 2-0 Scottish League Cup win over Raith Rovers on Wednesday night with an ongoing calf issue but will return, but utility player Charlie Mulgrew remains out with a thigh problem which looks likely to rule him out of Scotland's European Championship qualifying double-header next month.
Arnaud Djoum is set to make his Hearts debut. The 26-year-old Belgian midfielder , who signed a deal until January after leaving Polish side Lech Poznan in the summer, was an unused substitute in the 3-2 League Cup third-round win over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Wednesday night.
Robbie Neilson has told Celtic they will face a better Hearts team than the one they knocked out of two cup competitions last season.
The Jambos were runaway winners of the Championship to return to the top flight but their interest in the Scottish League Cup and William Hill Scottish Cup was ended by the Hoops.
The Gorgie head coach is confident he is taking an improved side to Parkhead on Saturday for their Ladbrokes Premiership clash but still recognises the magnitude of the task.
Neilson told Hearts TV: "We are a different squad, a different team. Players have got another 30 games under their belt and we have new additions to the squad that I think have improved us.
"So we are going to go there and try to win and hopefully we can do that.
"It is a huge task for us, a team promoted in the summer and we are coming up against the champions who have won four (titles) in a row. So it's going to be a hard one.
"But we believe that if we go there, play well, work hard and get the rub of the green then we have a chance."
Source: PAR
