Telfer willing to take flak
(S Times)
Rodger Baillie
The defender admits he will never be a crowd favourite at Celtic, but knows that his manager will always back him
SOME players are fated never to win popularity polls with their own supporters, and Paul Telfer fulfils that unwanted role among Celtic followers. Despite the fans’ doubts the veteran right-back will continue to appear, because he gets the decisive vote of the man who matters at Parkhead regarding team selections.
Gordon Strachan devoted two pages of his recently-published autobiography to a glowing eulogy about Telfer, including the remarkable insight that he once told the player that wherever he went as a manager he would want the defender with him. The right-back has played under Strachan at Coventry, Southampton and now Celtic.
The latest praise for Telfer came after the 1-0 Champions League victory against FC Copenhagen, when Strachan said pointedly: “His one bad pass was greeted with moans and groans when other players were let off for similar things. But he’s got mental strength, just ask (Shunsuke) Nakamura who he prefers playing with on the right. Paul’s prepared to run 40 or 50 yards without the ball just to give Nakamura two yards of space.”
Telfer claims to shut his ears to the controversy about his play. “I didn’t know about the crowd’s reaction until the manager mentioned it,” he smiled. “But it’s water off a duck’s back, if it keeps criticism away from the rest of the team then I’m happy to take whatever they give me.”
He talked of teaming up with Nakamura and modestly shrugged aside the assessment that he is the Japanese attacker’s preferred partner. “I don’t speak much of his language, and he hasn’t said it to me. However, he’s a pleasure to play with, give him the ball in tight situations and he’s good at keeping possession. You need players like that in European games, he takes the sting out the game. I enjoy playing with him, his close-control is exceptional, I would hate to play against him.”
Not even Strachan’s admiration for Telfer kept him in the team at the start of last month, when injury to Mark Wilson in the tie against Manchester United forced the Scotland under-21 defender to limp off Old Trafford with a broken bone in his foot. “Mark has a great future ahead of him, and he was playing very well at the time,” added Telfer. “It’s not nice to get an injury like that, especially with so many exciting Champion League fixtures ahead. I would rather have got my place back in different circumstances.
“I missed the opening matches through injury although I don’t know if I would have played. Then I came in against Hearts and was terrible. The manager was quite justified in playing Mark in my place, and I was resigned to being cover for the position.”
Telfer is optimistic about Celtic’s future defensive prospects, claiming: “They’re very lucky at the moment with Mark and the two centre-halves, Gary Caldwell and Stephen McManus — all Scottish as well.” He was careful not to exclude new signing Lee Naylor from the honours list, the left-back snapped up from Wolves seems to have solved one of Celtic’s problem positions. “I played against him a few times in England, and he’s got a terrific left foot. He’ll just get better and better as he gets to know the rest of the players. Nothing phases him, he seems quite confident and he’s enjoying it.”
However, with the advent of anti-ageism legislation kicking into effect today Telfer, who is 35 later this month, is careful to extend the moritorium to football. “Once you get to 34 or 35 people think you should hang up your boots. Look at Neil Lennon, he’s been our best player in recent games. I played against him years ago and he’s as fit as ever. Admittedly he’s never been lightning fast, a bit like myself, but he’s looked after himself and it’s paid off.”
The league leaders finished last month with a flourish, including prestige victories against Rangers, to extend the gap over their Old Firm rivals to seven points, and then the win against Copenhagen in the Champions League. Unfashionable Falkirk will be just as vital. Not much point in beating Rangers if they chuck away points today. “Two big victories, no goals against and good performances,” purred Strachan about the past week.
“We played Dunfermline after Old Trafford and the start we had against them was fantastic, the best 45 minutes we’ve had this season. I wondered if we would make a slow start, but we were off like a shot and it blew me away. That showed they can play in mid-week and put a performance on.
“However, it’s different because we’re away this week and it depends on how Falkirk play as well, but I think we can handle it.”