No mistakes on day one please

18 June 2010 06:46
Celtic travel to Inverness for their first game of the new season and the SPL new boys want to send them home pointless. The pairing of Celtic and Inverness Caledonian Thistle for the first game of the new season will send shivers down the spine of fans. The last time the Hoops met a side from the Highlands, they managed to clot the copybook of then interim manager Neil Lennon. Grant Munro is hoping Inverness can provide another shock result as they bid to mark their return to the top-flight with a home win on day one of the 2010-11 season. The defender said: "It's a fantastic game and these are the sort of games we want to be in the SPL for. The fixtures being out makes it more real and it's a great game to start with. I prefer having a high-profile game to start with. Those are the games you want to play in and there is no pressure on us. Hopefully we can spring a surprise, like our neighbours Ross County did in the Scottish Cup. Maybe we can do the same if they have new players who maybe haven't gelled and we can catch them on the hop." Inverness have beaten Celtic twice in the Scottish Cup - most notably the defeat in 2000 which ultimately spelled the end of John Barnes' spell as manager. But Munro insists the history between the two clubs will play no part when they meet again in a couple of months. He said: "We have played each other in the SPL a few times so that takes away the surprise element of our Scottish Cup wins against them. I'm sure Neil Lennon will have them pretty well-drilled on what to expect from us and what sort of game to expect, especially after Ross County beat them. I'm sure, if you asked them, they won't want to travel up here to play us but we are delighted to have them here. There are no easy fixtures in the SPL, regardless of what team you are. You have to go about your business professionally and no doubt Neil Lennon will be hoping they get off to a good start themselves." Munro expects Lennon's Celtic to be a different prospect from the Hoops team they faced the last time they were in the SPL - and even from the one Tony Mowbray had under his charge at the start of last season. Munro said: "He won every league game he was in charge of last season. He has been in the papers talking about having a more physical, more aggressive side. So we are expecting a big change from the last time we played them. He will have his own style of play and it will be a difficult task for us."

Source: FOOTYMAD