Source: Team_Talk
Ki can't praise Hooper enough
Ki Sung-yueng hailed Gary Hooper as a "goal machine" after the Celtic striker scored a dramatic last-gasp winner at St Mirren on Sunday.[LNB] Neil Lennon's side looked to be dropping two vital points when Hooper, who arrived at Parkhead in the summer from Scunthorpe for a reported fee of around £2.4million, pounced with seconds remaining of three minutes added time to keep the visitors a point behind Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premier League.[LNB]South Korea international Ki, whose performance was described by Lennon as world class, acknowledged the importance of his English team-mate, whose strike was his 10th of the season.[LNB]"Gary is brilliant," he said.[LNB]"I think he is a goal machine and has scored in the 90th minute two or three times.[LNB]"It is hard to explain but he is a very good striker and he is the type of player you need to win the league.[LNB]"We need goals and the goal difference could be very important at the end of the season."[LNB]Ki played in the 4-0 defeat at New St Mirren Park in March which effectively ended the tenure of former manager Tony Mowbray and he was glad to leave Paisley with happier memories this time.[LNB]"I was very disappointed in the 4-0 defeat and I was looking for revenge," he said.[LNB]"After that defeat I didn't play in the first team for 10 games.[LNB]"It was a very hard time for me.[LNB]"The manager was changed after the game so I can't forget it.[LNB]"If we had drawn I would have been disappointed but we won so it's fine."[LNB]St Mirren boss Danny Lennon remains happy with the progress the Paisley club have made since he took over in the summer, despite learning an Old Firm lesson.[LNB]He said: "Rangers and Celtic never give in, a game of football for them lasts from the first to the 93rd minute.[LNB]"However, to lose a match in the final minute is very disappointing no matter who the opposition is but I feel we are now looking a very difficult side to beat which is pleasing.[LNB]"I thought we limited them and when they did get through we got good blocks in. I can only take the positives."
