Samaras still dreaming of title

13 May 2009 08:45
The Greece international was on the scoresheet at Celtic Park on Tuesday night as the champions went back top of the SPL with a 2-1 win over Dundee United. Glenn Loovens headed the home side into a first-half lead before Samaras' shot deflected off Tannadice skipper Lee Wilkie just after the interval. David Robertson's strike ensured a tense end to the game but the home side hung on to go one point above Old Firm rivals Rangers who play at Hibernian on Wednesday night. Samaras believes Celtic can win their games against Hibs at Easter Road and Hearts on the last day and hopes it will be enough to clinch their fourth title in a row. He said: "We can handle the pressure. We believe in ourselves, we believe in our team and we believe that we will get two wins in the last two games and see where the helicopter is going to land at the last game. "I hope it's Celtic Park. "The mentality is to fight until the end of the season and wait on a mistake from Rangers. "It is not in our hands but what we wanted to do, and we started against United, was to take three wins. That is our target." United boss Craig Levein is likely to land in trouble with the SFA following his scathing criticism of Stuart Dougal after the referee refused to allow his injury-prone defender Wilkie treatment following a clash with Scott McDonald. Wilkie, who lost three years from his career with knee problems, stayed down after a tackle by the Hoops' striker but when the ball went out for a goal kick, Dougal waved play on. After United keeper Lukasz Zaluska then kicked the ball out, Wilkie was allowed treatment as Dougal and Levein had a pitchside confrontation. Levein told the media that Dougal would have received a "punch in the face" if his behaviour towards the United boss had been replicated in a pub. "He lost his composure, stuck his finger in my face and told me to shut up," the United boss said. "It wasn't acceptable. "In all my time in football, no other referee has ever done that. "I have lost all respect for him after the way he spoke to me. "If it happened in the pub on a Saturday night to any of you guys, the guy would have got a punch in the face." Wilkie added to the furore by claiming Dougal made a "silly" retort when he asked the referee why he had failed to allow him immediate treatment. The former Dundee player said: "I said to the referee at half-time, 'what were you playing at?' "He said, quite arrogantly, that his kids had had bigger knocks than that, which was a stupid comment to make - his kids must be some size. "All he needed to say was that he thought I never got touched but he had to make a silly comment. "I told him that my knees were bad enough without getting any treatment but he didn't seem bothered."

Source: Team_Talk