Aberdeen manager targets Celtic crowd frustration as he talks up Sunday visit

By John McGinley

July 29, 2022

Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin is excited by the prospect of facing Celtic on the opening day of the season, believing his players are in a good place mentally to deal with the occasion.

The Dons are in fine form this summer after four successive wins against lower league sides in the Scottish League Cup, scoring 12 goals along the way without reply.

Goodwin knows the task facing his team is far greater this weekend, but is targeting an early impact to silence the Celtic Park crowd.

Speaking in a press conference today, he said [Aberdeen FC]: “I don’t know if there’s ever a good time to go and play Celtic. We know exactly what’s happening on Sunday. The players are well aware of how the atmosphere is going to be there. They’re celebrating and flying the flag from winning the league last year, so we know what that brings with it.

“It’s up to us to try and quiet the fans and get off to a good start and really impose ourselves on Celtic from the first whistle. My lads are going into the game in a really good place mentally off the back of some good performances in the League Cup, and we just have to try and carry on that momentum and go there and give a really good account of ourselves.

“We’ve got such a new group of players from different parts of Europe and obviously the UK who have never experienced going to Celtic Park before, so they don’t have that fear of past defeats if you like, so it’s a very fresh start for a lot of them, and they’re all very excited, and they want to go there and give a good account of themselves.

“Those types of fixtures are the reasons that a number of our squad have come to Scotland this year. They want to go and challenge themselves in big venues in front of 60,000 people against international quality players and I think we’re capable of doing that.”

I’m expecting the atmosphere to be electric at Celtic Park on Sunday so I’m not sure how much joy Goodwin will find when it comes to his ‘quieten the crowd’ ambition.

There’s been great patience for Ange Postecoglou’s team over the last 12 months, even in difficult moments, and a full house at the weekend will be desperate to cheer on the Bhoys.

With a full stadium display from the Green Brigade setting the tone, hopefully Postecoglou’s Bhoys can capitalise on the passion and get off to a lightning start.

Celtic Park should be a place to be feared for the opposition, and the Bhoys will be looking to ensure Aberdeen’s new players learn that from the off.

In other news, Celtic explain stadium makeover after 6-month process.