| Match Pictures | Matches: 1999 – 2000 | 1999-2000 Pictures |
Trivia
- The first candidate for the Head Coach position fell by the wayside when Co Adriaanse joined Ajax.
- On 29/3 a ‘crisis’ meeting was called at Celtic Park by Allan MacDonald for all department heads, directors etc to discuss everything from the plight of the team to the Youth Development programme to the search for a new Head Coach. This was followed on the 31st by a heart-to-heart meeting between MacDonald , the footballing staff and the first team. From these crisis meetings started to emerge rumours of a rather large debt hole to the tune of £18million.
- Joe Kinnear said that he had been approached to become Head Coach. Dalglish denied this. However later contacts seem to say that there was more than just passing contact. Both Kinnear and Mick McCarthy were friends of majority shareholder Dermot Desmond.
- The Celtic Board came out to say that Kenny Dalglish would not be the new Head Coach either – so this really was Kenny’s caretaker period.
- The second ex-tempore Pre-Match Press conference was held at the Celtic Supporters Association HQ on London Rd. The pre-match Press Conferences would continue to be held in the CSA premises and culminated in the eviction of 'Saint' Hugh Keevins by CSA vice-president Finbar O'Branigan on 5/5/00.
- Mark Viduka (hamstring), Tom Boyd (knee), Jackie McNamara (?), Stephane Mahe (ankle) and Alan Stubbs (knee) were all incapacitated, leading to call-ups for Colin Healy, Olivier Tebily, Regi Blinker and even Berkovic.
Review
Lowest crowd of the season; Giving away a two goal lead; blind linesmen chalking off perfectly good goals; hitting the post umpteen times; Berkovic getting ratty with the support before being stretchered off. Several nutters invaded the pitch on Berkovic's goal and gesture and McCurry included this in his match report. A busy night.
Teams
Celtic:
Gould, Healy, Riseth (Crainey, 70), Mjallby, Tebily, Petrov, Lambert , Blinker, Berkovic (Petta, 87), Johnson (Burchill, 78 ), Moravcik
Subs not used: Kerr, de Ornelas,
Goals: Johnson (10), Blinker (20), Berkovic (73), Burchill (83)
Bookings: Blinker ,Mjallby (Celtic)
Kilmarnock:
Marshall, MacPherson, Cocard, Reilly, Holt, Durrant, Vareille (Wright, 40), Dindeleux, Lauchlan, Abou, McKinlay (Hessey, 32)
Subs not used Meldrum, Canero, Mitchell,
Goals: Wright (49), Lauchlan (50)
Bookings: Hessey ,MacPherson ,Reilly (Kilmarnock)
Referee: Michael McCurry (Scotland)
Attendance: 40569
Articles
- Match Report
Pictures
Stats
| Celtic | Kilmarnock | |
| Bookings | 2 | 3 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
| Fouls | 12 | 13 |
| Shots on Target | 7 | 6 |
| Corners | 1 | 4 |
| Offside | 6 | 1 |
Articles
Berkovic returns to run show for Celtic
The Herald 03/04/2000
Darryl Broadfoot
CELTIC…4, KILMARNOCK…2
THEY made heavy weather of it, but Celtic eventually restored some of the pride that had been severely damaged during last week's Old Firm defeat with a 4-2 tonic against Kilmarnock at Parkhead last night.
Playing in front of their lowest league audience of the season, only 40,659 braving the unseasonal conditions, Kenny Dalglish's men appeared to be cruising to a comfortable victory after going two goals up at half-time, through Tommy Johnson and Regi Blinker. However, Kilmarnock engineered a second-half lifeline, drawing level after strikes by Paul Wright and Jim Lauchlan, although the home supporters were spared another night of misery courtesy of Eyal Berkovic and Mark Burchill.
The Israeli internationalist was recalled to the starting line-up in the absence of Mark Viduka and was instrumental in Celtic's victory, showing the kind of form that prompted departed head coach John Barnes to spend £5.75m of the club's money, and offering hope that both he and Lubo Moravcik can work in tandem.
The result has narrowed the gap between at the top to 13 points, and while it is likely Celtic will be the unlucky ones come prize-giving, their fans will take heart from the spirit shown when Kilmarnock threatened to compound their already fragile situation.
Four times Celtic were denied a goal by the flag-waving of assistant referee Martin Doran, although he appeared incorrect with two decisions against Johnson, but their free-flowing forward play, so often instigated by their two gems, was undermined by incompetence among a makeshift defence.
As well as Viduka, who injured himself while on international duty with Australia, Dalglish was also without Alan Stubbs, Stephane Mahe, Jackie McNamara, Tom Boyd, Rafael, Dmitri Kharine, Henrik Larsson, and Morten Wieghorst, .
Young Colin Healy and Blinker patrolled the flanks, while Olivier Tebily joined Vidar Riseth and Johan Mjallby in a three-man defence .
While the home side were keen to make prompt atonement for the 4-0 defeat at Ibrox, they almost found themselves in deeper trouble when Jerome Vareille scampered clear after only two minutes. A poor kick-out from Gordon Marshall nevertheless arrived at the feet of another former Celtic player, Tosh McKinlay, whose long, looping ball found the Frenchman in space. His two shacklers, though, scampered back in time.
Kilmarnock failed to find a rhythm after their opening burst and it came as no surprise when Celtic capitalised on their supremacy after 10 minutes. Riseth threaded a precise pass through a static Killie defence on to Johnson and the Geordie finished clinically for his fifth goal in his four starts under the new management regime.
Celtic control of the midfield was almost total, Paul Lambert's calm authority allowing Petrov and Blinker to supply the creative forces, who were instrumental in doubling Celtic's advantage in the twentieth minute. Moravcik, patrolling the left side, fed his accomplice with but although Berkovic's shot was blocked by Jim Lauchlan, the rebound fell to Blinker, who made no mistake with the finish.
To compound Killie's woes, McKinlay limped out of the action after a half-hour, replaced by youngster Sean Hessey, but they continued to look listless against a Celtic side out to prove a point. Indeed, the visitors were fortunate not to concede a penalty when Dindeleux appeared to chop down Johnson in the box but they managed to ride the storm until half-time.
Williamson made another personnel change after the interval, the injured Vareille replaced by fit-again Paul Wright, but Celtic forged the first chance of the half, in 47 minutes, Berkovic again splitting a static Killie defence with a simple yet effective nudge but Johnson was denied his second by Doran's flag.
The former Aston Villa man was denied again by the assistant referee, but those anticipating another one-sided half, no doubt a few of them among the travelling band of spectators, were dealt a surprise in 49 minutes when Celtic's defensive deficiencies were punished. Christophe Cocard was given time to swing a diagonal cross into the box, where Wright waited, unmarked, to head past Jonathan Gould with his first touch of the ball.
Killie's increased efforts almost counted for nothing when Tebily struck a shot off the post but the dogged Ayrshire men stunned the home crowd into silence with a fifty-seventh minute equaliser. Gary Holt's deflected effort from an Ian Durrant cross spun in the air, with Dindeleux nodding on to Cocard. His countryman screwed his header wide, but Lauchlan stole in at the back post to redirect it into the net to spark a frenetic finale.
First, Healy found the back of the net, followed soon after by Berkovic, both, however, were deemed illegal by the assistant. It was then Mjallby's turn to strike a post but Celtic's persistence finally paid off with 20 minutes remaining when Berkovic re-established their lead. Mjallby wrestled possession from Cocard, with the Killie fraternity crying foul, but the Swede played on and passed to the hungry Israeli, whose deft chip sailed over the head of stranded Marshall.
Substitute Burchill rounded off the scoring with a simple tap-in after 81 minutes but it came at a price, Berkovic, who stabbed the ball on to the striker, stretchered off with bruised ribs after clattering into Marshall.
- Manager Interview
Kenny Dalglish post match:
"When you take the kick-off time, the weather and Mother's Day, I thought it was a tremendous crowd.
"The crowd was 40,000 and I don't think too many clubs in British football would be disappointed with that. I think the fans deserve a great deal of credit."
"Berkovic got a bang in the ribs for his troubles but he says he's okay and looked alright afterwards.
"But he scored a great goal and played a huge part in the fourth goal.
"We've got to find a way to accommodate our better players and he is one of them.
"The team we sent out today was attack minded. We ran out of defenders a little bit and it was always going to be a game when we could score a few and lose a couple.
"That's what happened but if we are scoring more than we are losing then I can go along with that.
"The players suffered tremendous disappointment last week and we've had a few players away on international duty as well, so it makes this result all the creditable."
Celtic 4 Kilmarnock 2 By Chris Roberts, PA Sport
Some Celtic fans let their feelings on the club's problems known by staying away from Parkhead and those who turned up saw them struggle before beating Kilmarnock in a six-goal thriller.
With Celtic 16 points behind arch rivals Rangers before this match and still reeling from last week's 4-0 mauling at Ibrox, a below average crowd of 40,569 turned out.
Celtic were without Mark Viduka, Tom Boyd, Jackie McNamara, Alan Stubbs and Stephane Mahe but those that came in had a point to prove after Kenny Dalglish's ultimatum.
The truth is that they had to perform with Kilmarnock fighting for points at the bottom of the table and had the linesman not ruled out four goals for offside then the fans could have been going home even happier.
But goals from Tommy Johnson, Regi Blinker, Eyal Berkovic and substitute Mark Burchill lifted some of the gloom over the club after Paul Wright and Jim Lauchlan had stunned the home side with a brilliant second-half fight-back.
With the management position still unresolved Dalglish could have had more questions to answer as the returning Olivier Tebily almost allowed Kilmarnock to take a shock lead in just the second minute.
Former Celtic star Tosh McKinlay launched the ball downfield and hesitancy from the Ivory Coast man allowed Jerome Vareille space in the box but the defender made a desperate challenge to prevent the Frenchman from firing home.
Tebily was again caught flatfooted in the fifth minute when Samassi Abou threaded the ball through to Vareille but he wasted the opportunity.
Celtic should have gone in front as Berkovic played a one-two with Lubomir Moravcik but the Israeli international fired straight at Kilmarnock goalkeeper Gordon Marshall from 15 yards.
Kilmarnock had been warned and Celtic did take the lead in the 11th minute when Johnson beat the offside trap to run onto Vidar Riseth's through ball and he waited his time before placing the ball past Marshall's left hand.
Three minutes later and the home side came within inches of a second when Moravcik squared the ball to Paul Lambert and the midfielder hit a low drive inches past the post.
But Kilmarnock were not prepared to lie down and again Tebily was caught ball-watching as Ian Durrant threaded the ball through to Vareille who fired low past Jonathan Gould's right-hand post.
Kilmarnock were chasing the game and were leaving gaps open at the back and in the 21st minute Celtic capitalised to double their advantage.
In almost a carbon copy of an earlier move Berkovic played a one-two with Moravcik and despite Lauchlan's block, Blinker followed up to fire home past Marshall.
Marshall then kept his side's slim hopes alive in the 29th minute after Johnson and Stilian Petrov linked up on the edge of the box and the keeper spread himself to save and McKinlay and Lauchlan both swept up at the back.
Celtic should have been awarded a penalty in the 42nd minute when the lively Johnson was bundled to the ground by Frederic Dindeleux but the referee waved away protests.
However, moments later, the referee did give a foul as Mark Reilly brought down Petrov on the edge of the box and Moravcik curled his shot just over.
After the restart Celtic had the ball in the net twice in the space of three minutes but the linesman was flagging and the referee ruled out both Johnson's efforts – much to the disbelief of the home crowd.
But Kilmarnock showed real grit and determination to hit back in the 49th minute when substitute Paul Wright beat the offside trap to head home Christophe Cocard's cross emphatically past Gould.
Celtic almost hit back immediately when Tebily fired a loose ball from the edge of the box but clipped the upright and went behind.
But the game was dramatically turned on its head in the 58th minute when Kilmarnock stunned the home crowd to nick an equaliser.
Gary Holt's half-hit shot from Durrant's corner was headed on by Dindeleux and Cocard directed the ball across the face of goal for Lauchlan to head home at the far post.
Cocard then went for glory a minute later with a fierce effort from the edge of the area but Gould was equal to it.
Amazingly Johnson had the ball in the net again only for it to be chalked off for offside and moments later Berkovic suffered a similar fate.
Johan Mjallby then beat Marshall but saw his efforts come back off the upright and the defence was on hand to clear the danger and keep Kilmarnock's hopes alive.
Celtic however got the goal they deserved in the 72nd minute with the linesman's flag nowhere to be seen as Berkovic coolly lobbed Marshall who had come well off his line.
Substitute Mark Burchill then shattered Kilmarnock's hopes of more heroics moments later his introduction in the 84th minute when Berkovic made a brilliant run leaving a number of Kilmarnock players in his wake before setting the youngster up to slot home.
The goal came at a cost with Berkovic hurt by a late challenge as he squared the ball for Burchill.