Dundee fans will be fearing the worst for their team at Celtic Park on Saturday, and I have to admit that it could be a case of damage limitation for Paul Hartley’s men.
I’m sure either Paul or Gerry McCabe will have been at Parkhead on Tuesday night and the narrow defeat by Hamilton should give them a bit of confidence.
The game-plan has to be to make sure they are solid at the back and try to stay within a goal for as long as possible.
Then, there’s always a chance that something can happen in the last 10 minutes or so.
Like I said at the start, though, it’s a long shot.
Celtic’s form has been as impressive as it comes.
Is it too early to talk about them going through the league season undefeated? Maybe.
But, if they still haven’t lost when the break comes at the start of the New Year, it won’t be.
I thought that the best time to get Celtic would have been when they were involved in the Champions League and you were playing them either before a big match (when they might have rested a couple of players) or after one (when they might be tired).
But that hasn’t happened.
It’s a tribute to the way Brendan Rodgers has utilised his squad, fitness levels, and the players themselves for not taking their eye off the ball.
The Motherwell game was a big test that they passed and those sort of wins make a team feel even more confident.
I think we went about 15 games unbeaten one season when I was at Celtic but Rangers were much stronger then and the likes of Dundee United, Hearts and Aberdeen were all spending more money. So we didn’t come that close.
I think Celtic will win the title by over 20 points and the longer this run goes on, the more staying unbeaten until the end will become a motivation.
Rodgers will strengthen in January and Europe is gone.
It will be tough but there’s potential that Celtic will be invincibles this season.
* I’m really pleased for Barry Smith that he’s back in management with East Fife.
His short time working in newspapers will have given him a different perspective on the game and I know that he’s still got plenty to offer in the dugout.
When people look back on the Deefiant season sometimes Barry’s role in it all gets taken for granted a bit.
I’m convinced that Dundee were facing oblivion if they went down that season and Barry was absolutely crucial to that not happening.
I think that only a club legend like Barry could have pulled it off.
I’ll never forget his first team-talk – it pulled us all together straight from the word go.
East Fife have got themselves a very good and hungry young manager who will do a great job for them.
* Will I ever apply for a manager’s job myself?
There’s about 1% of me that would like to try but the 99% that tells me to keep out of it is still winning!
