Between December 13th, 2020 and April 4th, 2021, Celtic FC Women didn’t play a single competitive fixture.
Fran Alonso brought in some top talent hailing from around the world, but it would’ve been hard to both move and adjust during Coronavirus lockdown. You’re talking about people uprooting their lives entirely. Meeting new colleagues, getting acclimatised to Glasgow, and an intense, high-pressing style of play.
By all measures, it could’ve been an absolute disaster. Instead, it’s worked an absolute charm. No club has outperformed Celtic since returning to competitive action. In what seems like an aberration, it’s been an utter joy to watch Kelly Clark and company’s efficient, ruthless performances.
After beating a tough Hibs side on an even tougher surface, Chloe Craig knows that two wins from their next two matches could see Celtic either win the title, or at worst, qualify for the Champions League. It’s a remarkable rise for a club that only turned professional last season.
So, how did it go so right? 67 Hail Hail spoke to Craig ahead of a crucial match against Forfar Farmington on Sunday. Craig said:
“You would think [lockdown] would have an impact; we wouldn’t be back as fit as what we should’ve been. But for us, it was the total opposite. We came back raring to go. We were fit, we were on Zoom calls near enough every single day, we had a programme.
“So, we were fitter than we’ve ever been coming back from lockdown. I think that helped us take that step up and just showed that we’re here, we’re ready to go for the league and titles.”
Celtic FC Women star Chloe Craig on gruelling Hibs match
After an incredibly hard-fought victory against Hibs, on a horrible surface, Celtic remain second in the SWPL table [Flashscore]. The 1-0 win exemplified everything good about Fran Alonso’s side; although the slick passing play we’re used to was at a premium, taking advantage of a set-piece and steadfast defending won out.
Craig told us:
“It’s always hard playing against Hibs. Especially on the park we were playing at, we know they’re a good team. But with the way the standings are in the league just now, we knew had to win, and get the three points. Nothing less.
“Mentally, we were up for it. As soon as we got there, everybody was raring to go, so that just gave us that extra boost we needed on the park.”
Fiercely motivated, and relentless in the pursuit of victory, this is a Celtic team actually worth watching. The hunt for the title continues tomorrow at 2pm.
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