Source: Team_Talk
Samaras strike sends message
Most of the attention since Tony Mowbray took over in the summer has been on new signing Marc-Antoine Fortune and last season's top scorer Scott McDonald who were paired together for Wednesday's second leg of the third qualifier against the Muscovites, who were defending a 1-0 lead from the first game.
Without a win away from home in Europe in six years and having never won a European tie after losing the first game at Celtic Park, McDonald gave the visitors a massive lift when he levelled the tie on aggregate just before the break at the Arena Khimki.
But in the 79th minute, with extra-time looming, Samaras replaced McDonald and in the final minute he scored a wonderful solo goal to put the Parkhead side in the Champions League play-off spot.
"I played a lot of games last season and was second top scorer," the Greece international said.
"It's up to the gaffer who he plays, and what shape we are going to play but I am here for him and here for the club.
"I am never going to give up because I know my abilities and qualities.
"Every time he wants me I will be here for him."
The former Manchester City player teased one local reporter who asked if the goal had been the most important that he had scored in his career.
He said: "It was not the most important, it was just a simple goal.
"It was a long ball, I chested it down and found a bit of space and scored.
"It was simple. We didn't give them the time to play football, because we were the better team.
"We will wait to see who we get in the draw but there will be no easy games."
McDonald, who scored his first goal for Celtic when they knocked Spartak Moscow out of a Champions League qualifier two seasons ago on penalties, after a 1-1 draw in Moscow, joked that he would like to play a Russian club in every round of Europe.
He said: "I think we like playing in Russia and if we could play there more often then I think it would be good for us.
"But there was belief that we could do it.
"We felt hard done by after the first leg when we had a lot of chances.
"Tonight we got the one chance in the first half and took it and that's the difference in Europe.
"Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, it doesn't matter who we get in the next round, it's going to be tough but we are looking forward to it.
"I'm more interested in where we are playing first, I think we would like to be playing away from home."
