ian1964 10,761 Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 ANDREAS HINKEL today claimed new league leaders Celtic already have a vital advantage over Rangers - after surviving what he sees as a tougher start to the new season. Hinkel celebrated with his Hoops team-mates after a thrilling 2-1 win over Hearts at Parkhead yesterday afternoon sent them two points clear at the top of the Premier League table. Tony Mowbray's side, looking jaded after their energy-sapping Europa League game with Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel on Thursday, needed a Glenn Loovens goal in the third minute of injury-time to secure a nail-biting triumph. advertisement However, German right-back Hinkel believes they have an edge over the reigning Scottish champions after playing four of the teams which finished in the top six last season in their five games so far. Celtic have faced Aberdeen and Hibernian away and Dundee United and Hearts at home as well as First Division champions St Johnstone. Walter Smith's team, meanwhile, have squared up to only one of the sides which finished in the top half of the Premier League last season so far this term. The Gers have played Falkirk and Hamilton at Ibrox and Hearts, Motherwell and Kilmarnock away and are already adrift of their Old Firm rivals. Hinkel said: "We have had a tough start. Of the five teams we have played, four of them were in the top six last season. "To draw just one of those games and to be top of the league is quite a good start against such difficult opponents. "Going to the top of the league will give us confidence as well. It is always good for a player to look at the league table and see you are at the top. It definitely gives you a good lift. We will fight hard to keep this position." Despite sneaking a victory in stoppage time yesterday, Hinkel is adamant Celtic deserved to beat Hearts and leapfrog their city rivals, who slumped to a 0-0 draw with Killie on Saturday, into pole position. And the international defender maintains the fighting spirit and will to win which his side showed against the Jambos will prove invaluable during the campaign. He explained: "It was good that everyone fought for each other to the end. Yes, we needed an injury-time goal, but I thought we deserved to win. We hit the woodwork several times with shots and should maybe have had a penalty. "We made life difficult for ourselves because we lost a goal early on and had to come back. Our opponents just sat back and defended their lead but, at the end of the day, we got the result." Publication date 21/09/09 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Cole 0 Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 How you getting on with winning the Europa Cup, Andreas? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,761 Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 Has he taken over from Clodwell ?? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyk 158 Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Is this the guy that tried to help Stuttgart beat us, didn't do much good did he? he's a plonker and a shite player......... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,761 Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 Is this the guy that tried to help Stuttgart beat us, didn't do much good did he? he's a plonker and a shite player......... And should have been booked for his challenge on Wallace for the penalty,that wasn't given, that he forgets to mention 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whosthedado 1,703 Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 This is coming form the guy whose team were lucky not to lose to Dundee United and could have dropped at least 2 points yesterday. Lets hear from Mr Hinkel when his team are sitting 2nd in a couple of weeks and heading out of the Thursday Cup while the Champions are top and heading through in the Champions League - hopefully:spl: 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig 5,199 Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Either way though he does make a valid point, albeit that his logic is based on LAST SEASON'S positions which has no bearing, at this stage, on how those same teams will fare this season. Looking objectively at it Celtic have played : Aberdeen (away) St Johnstone (home) Hibernian (away) Dundee Utd (home) Hearts (home) Whilst we have played : Falkirk (home) Hearts (away) Hamilton (home) Motherwell (away) Kilmarnock (away) I would contend that Hinkel is probably right. Hibs away would be negated, IMO< by Hearts away. Aberdeen away would be negated by Motherwell away (given how both are playing this year). St Johnstone at home would be negated by Hamilton at home. Which leaves them with Dundee Utd at home and Hearts at home vs Falkirk at home and Killie away for us. Falkirk at home should be an easier game than either Utd or Hearts as should Killie. Hinkel is a plum but he does make a valid point. But much like was said in the Rangers chat section, making these type of statements before we get out of September and with less than 20% of the league campaign concluded is stupid. he is trying to put positive spin on the fact they have been shite. Fair enough and I hope they continue to do that as all they will be doing is papering over the cracks. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza_8 233 Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 They've had the tougher games but we've played an away game more. Kinda evens itself out. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraser54 0 Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 This is the big difference between us and Timmy ! We know not to get involed in the press and be the big mouth, Walter would never allowed that. Under Strachen and now Monky Heid they allow the players to blab away. Lets see come May 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gers4Life 0 Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Let them rant away in the media, hinkel is a bawbag and thats a fact!! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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