Nakamura insists all is fine at Celtic
Tuesday, 27 December 2005 12:28Celtic goal hero Shunsuke Nakamura insists the Parkhead club are not in a need of rejuvenation for their keenly-awaited Bank of Scotland Premier League clash against Hearts at Tynecastle on New Year's Day.
Previous to yesterday's 2-1 win against Livingston at Celtic Park, the league leaders had gone behind to Hibernian and Inverness Caledonian Thistle in their last two matches before coming back, first to beat the Edinburgh side 3-2 and then to grab a 1-1 draw with the Highlanders.
And against the West Lothian side Celtic were none too convincing as they surrendered a first-half lead given to them by a Shaun Maloney penalty to a Paul Dalglish goal after the break.
However, the former Reggina star popped up with an 87th-minute winner to maintain the Glasgow giants' four-point lead over the second-placed Jambos.
Speaking through an interpreter, Nakamura said: "Against Hibernian and last week against Inverness, we were chasing goals because they scored to go ahead. But we do not need to change that much at all (against Hearts), we just need to improve on the quality of what we are producing."
Nakamura's goal eased the jangling nerves of the Hoops fans, who had showed their displeasure from the 59th minute onwards when Bobo Balde's error had given the visitors an unlikely lifeline.
As the game entered its final stages the anxiety from the stands seemed to inhibit some of the Celtic players but the midfielder said: "There is a difference between the three points and the one point and it will be important for the rest of the season so I am really pleased with my goal.
"When we play well and the crowd applauds it is nice but I do not really mind how good or bad the atmosphere is, I just concentrate on what I have to do and just enjoy playing."
Livingston manager Paul Lambert was pleased with his strikeforce of Dalglish and Robert Snodgrass, who worked tirelessly for the cause all afternoon.
He said: "Everyone goes on about Paul for the name he carries but he has been terrific on the field and in the dressing room. But he will be the first to tell you Robert Snodgrass was terrific as well for such a young player. I am not going to go over the top because it was about the team and the team were great."
