Bhoys Advance In The Cup

Meanwhile, The Old Firm Game Is Moved Again

By Tony Quinn

Celtic's Scottish Cup fourth round tie against Stirling Albion was preceded by a minute's applause for Phil O'Donnell, the former Celtic and Motherwell player who died after collapsing against Dundee United at Fir Park. Goals from Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Scott McDonald and Shunsuke Nakamura eased Celtic to a 3-0 win over Irn Bru First Division bottom side. Vennegoor of Hesselink was in the right place to head a Lee Naylor cross past Beanos keeper Scott Christie with 37 minutes gone. As Albion tired after the break, strikes from McDonald and Nakamura, playing for the first time since October after recovering from a knee injury, gave Celtic a scoreline their dominance deserved. Nakamura's contribution was especially appreciated by the Celtic fans, who gave him a standing ovation as he was replaced by Jim O'Brien immediately after firing in the third.

After the game Gordon Strachan said Celtic's performance was a "job well done." Strachan said: "It was a job that had to be done and it was a job well done and without any real scares which was good. It was similar to the Dumbarton game last season, we had a lot of possession and good chances but we were a little bit lacking in concentration at times in the last third, apart from three times when we got the goals." The Celtic boss was impressed by debutant Andreas Hinkel and encouraged by the return of Nakamura whose goal revealed his technique had not suffered during his lay-off. He said: "I was impressed, the coaches were impressed and his team-mates were impressed. He makes us a lot stronger and better balanced. It was good to see Shunsuke back. You could see he was rusty but we have a lot of games coming up and had to play him before we play more important games."

New bhoy Andreas Hinkel says there is much more to come after his Celtic debut against Stirling Albion. The German international, signed last week from Spanish club Sevilla for £2million, slotted in to the right-back position in the 3-0 Scottish Cup win over Albion. Hinkel won the man-of-the-match award said: "I think I did okay in my first game for Celtic at home. I have been here for a week and I need time but I enjoyed it. It was a cup game against a smaller team and it is the same all over the world, it's not easy playing against small teams. You are the favorites and you have to win with by many goals. I haven't played the last few weeks and I think I need more games to get my rhythm and to play better."

Shunsuke Nakamura has claimed he will stay at Parkhead until the day Celtic's chief executive Peter Lawwell say he is no longer needed - but admits he wants to end his career in Japan. The 29-year-old midfielder's contract expires in the summer, although Celtic have an option to extend the deal for another 12-months which will tie Nakamura to the club until the end of next season. Nakamura said: "I don't want to finish my career away from home and Marinos were the club at which I started my professional career. It would be great if I could go back there. So when Peter Lawwell says 'I don't need you anymore' I will go back to Japan at some time in the future."

Celtic will have to wait at least until the end of January before they find out when the home league game against Rangers, which has now been postponed twice, will take place. A statement issued to by the SPL reads: "Given the severe congestion in the fixture list and the need to avoid conflict with other fixtures or potential cup and European fixtures already in the schedule, the SPL confirmed today that the revised dates for the St Mirren v Rangers and Celtic v Rangers matches will not be announced before the end of the month at the earliest."

Celtic face a trip to either Kilmarnock or Airdrie Utd in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup. Kilmarnock's 4th round tie with Airdrie was postponed due to bad weather.