I Love Celtic

The injury of Beram Kayal has been a big shock for the Celtic team, but they continue to remain hopeful that they will win the title even without the star player.

The Celtic boss Neil Lennon said that it was an unfortunate turn of events that Beram will be sidelined for the next four months due to an ankle injury, but nonetheless, the team has to continue to perform and win.

One of the key areas that Celtic is known for is their midfield position and Kayal was a pivotal player in this sense.

Celtic managed to get a narrow 1-0 victory over Rangers, which propelled them to the top of the Scottish Premier League table. Rangers have been dominate since the start of the season, but have started to slip of late.

Celtic were recently charged by UEFA and were fined £ 12,000 after their supporters displayed banners that criticised UEFA in an obscene manner. The banners, which were put just before the match against Rennes in the Europa League, has caused much problems to Celtic and its supporters.

Even though the fine is pretty low compared to the revenues that the Scottish club make, Celtic are currently worried about the consequence of the charges by UEFA. The Celtic supporters by making illicit chants and displaying obscene banners in protest of the IRA.

Victor Wanyama hopes he will be given the chance to prove himself in the forthcoming Old Firm match.

The Celtic midfielder was forced to watch on from the bench when his side went down 4-2 at Ibrox in September, but now he hopes his manager Neil Lennon will give him the green light to get involved.

It would be nice to play because I didn’t get off the bench last time. It’s the kind of game every player wants to play in,” he said.

“I think the fans have shown very good support to us and myself. They are always behind us and I am very happy to have fans like that.”

A competition is brewing within the Celtic dressing room, but it is one that both fans and their manager will be welcoming it, because it is the competition between strikers of Anthony Stokes and Gary Cooper.

Anthony Stokes scored a hat-trick in the 5-0 demolition of St Mirren during the weekend in a match that has helped cause a real shift in the title race in the Scottish Premier League - not least because Kilmarnock managed a surprising 1-0 win over Rangers.

Celtic midfielder Joe Ledley believes that Celtic can still win the Scottish Premier League - though they might have to win all 26 remaining games, including two Old Firm derbies!

Speaking after another disappointing draw on Saturday, just hours after Rangers had walked off with another three points, Ledley is aware that the team is falling behind in the title race.

"We still believe and believe in the management, we just need to work harder."

Graham Carey has said that he is very keen to return to St Mirren from Celtic. The 22-year old appears to be surplus to requirements and has spent the majority of the last three seasons out on loan, including a successful spell in Paisley in 2010.. He said that he is now focusing on playing regularly and would consider a return to St Mirren if the opportunity arose.

"I don't know what the future holds for me," Carey said. “I am meeting with Celtic this week and try and get things moving on that front.

Gary Hooper won two awards representing Celtic, which has made the young striker even more exciting. The last time Gary Hooper won a championship he had to settle for a lap of honour around the pitch because he wasn't old enough to drink champagne.

Now the Celtic striker hopes the corks will be popping as he chases a clutch of honours that will make this campaign the best of his life.

Hooper, 23, picked up a double nomination yesterday for the Cheque Centre PFA player and young player of the year as he bids to become the first SPL star since Aiden McGeady to win both.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon has criticised the decision of SPL to bring forward the beginning of next season to 23rd July.

The SPL announced on Monday that the 2011-12 campaign would open earlier than is customary in a bid to help teams involved in qualifying for European competition. The league also wants to avoid the prospect of midweek fixtures throughout winter.

Gary Hooper has said that he is enjoying with playing in Celtic. The Parkhead striker believes Neil Lennon’s side have taken a great deal of heart from their performance the last time the two clubs clashed.

Despite being reduced to 10 men in the first-half at Ibrox, when goalkeeper Fraser Forster was sent packing for bringing down Steven Naismith, Celtic emerged with a 2-2 draw.

And Hooper says the way they managed to dominate Rangers with a man less is fresh in the Celtic players’ minds as they prepare for this weekend’s SPL encounter.