My main point here is the section of this interview i have highlighted in bold. I believe Celtic deserved there victory against us, and it has prompted some thought about up and coming games, and in particular the next O/F game. I believe his comments in this interview(if correct) tell a story of a confidence issue at Celtic. Your comments please!!!


Nakamura's goal was sublime. And he added: "Was that my best ever goal? Maybe. It was certainly my best this season.

"I have been trying to score a lot more from distance, not just free-kicks, so I was really happy to see it go in. It was a fantastic feeling.

"I noticed early on that the ball was moving about in the air a lot. So I decided that I would have a shot from distance the first opportunity I got.

"As soon as I hit the ball, I thought it had a chance.

"I hit my shot in a way which would give the ball a lot of movement. These are always difficult for the goalkeeper to save."

So if Nakamura can find the net from miles out past McGregor, one of the best goalies around at the moment, why did he not try to beat the same man from 12 yards who was by that time hobbling on one leg.

It seems there wasn't exactly a queue of Celtic players wanting to step forward to take the penalty which Scott McDonald missed on Wednesday night.

Nakamura said: "I picked up the ball and was going to give it to Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink but he said, 'No, no, I don't want it'. So then it was McDonald.

"If he hadn't wanted to take it then I was next in line and I didn't want to take it either."

That would have been a bigger issue if the Dutchman had not scored deep into injury time to save himself, his manager and his team's season.

Eh yes you are quite correct.

What's the next revelation? 1+1=2?

Surely the players on the park know who the manager expects to take the penalties,

Possibly with hat-trick winning kicks being the exception.

What am I correct about glasnost, that they are bottling themselves to take a penalty to beat there old firm rivals!!!!
I know at ibrox, there would be a list of takers for a penalty on such a stage. Rangers for the league and 3-1 victory over Celtic in the next encounter

As I already said on the match thread, IMO the best striker of a dead ball should take the penalties and in Sellick's case that is Nakamura and Robson.

McDonald's penalty was awful, he completely telegraphed where he was putting the ball to McGregor.

You could argue that maybe McDonald thought, because McGregor's left ankle was injured, that he wouldn't put weight on it to dive to that side but he hit the ball at such an awful height and not near enough to the corner.

Nothing to do with the thread but does anybody know what's happened to the other Jap that Celtic signed in January?

He was being hailed as the best thing ever to come out of Japan but has not been seen since signing.

Got to say Frank, that's the way I saw it too..

Mizuno?

Apparently played against our reserves on Tuesday, Stupid Baby described him as "woeful", "mince" or something similar.

If you're not feeling up for taking a penalty, you should never take it. You should let someone who thinks they can hit it take it.

Although I can hit a good penalty and always volunteer to take one in a penalty shoot out for my team, I rarely ever feel confident enough in open play to take one, even if I've won it, as I know that I would let the pressure get to me and there are players in my team who won't do that.

I imagine that's much the same as what Hesselink and Nakamura were thinking.

I was at the game on Wednesday night. I was in the old celtic end. When the penalty was given Nakamura had the ball in his hands to take the penalty and Caldwell came up and took the ball off him and gave it to McDonald. Now why did Caldwell do this? He is not the captain. I think Naka should have hit the penalty

aye, supposidly he's "one for the future" like Ben Hutchison.

not seen him in action yet, but had been told he played well in his first game for the reserves.

might see him a bit next season though

Well no you don't know that, you are simply making an assumption.

I don't think Naka wanted to take it because of the last penalty he hit for Celtic. the one he missed against Spartak Moscow in the Champs League qualifier. penalty misses can hang over players head slike that.

i personally think Robson shoulda hit it. im sure he took the pens with utd, and didnt miss much

McDonalds penatly was horrendous, he opened his body right up and basically told mcgregor where he was going.

Ah i see i was calling Caldwell every name under the sun when i seen that happen

dont worry about it, i call Caldwell every name under the sun nearly every other game anyway.lol

There are a lot of rumours of Hutchison going on loan next season.

Several are even linking him to us!

i believe the term i used was 'rank rotten'

He's working in Yo Sushi! in the new Silverburn Centre at Pollok

hahah I heard they had to throw him out of deepseaworld as he wanted to beat the dolphins to death with a pickhandle

[quote name='Ric' date='Apr 18 2008, 13:05' post='2400018']
Mizuno?

e]


thats a tennis racket f.f.s.

Has McDonald missed any others this season ?

I thought he always hit them, but maybe not.

Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink has been the proper penalty taker since he joined, but now that it's actually been put to me to think about, I realise he hasn't taken one since Spartak Moscow at Parkhead when he missed one in normal time, even though he scored in the shootout in that game.

McDonald has taken them since and this was the first he's missed.

Personally, I believe Naka should take them as he's at his best with a dead ball.

the only pen Naka has hit for Celtic was in the shoot-out again Spartak Moscow which he missed, so i think that has maybe had somethin to do wi him not taking them.

i would prefer Naka to hit them than McDonald.
Alothough i think Robson should take them.