CELTIC'S new man from
Slovakia, Lubomir Moravcik, will not be guaranteed a place in the team managed by the other Slav at Parkhead, Dr Jo Venglos, even if the two have an association that stretches back more than 11 years.
Dr Venglos made that clear yesterday as he conducted a rather bizarre press conference in which he answered his own questions as manager, and interpreted both questions and answers for the player who speaks virtually no English.
''We will have to see if he will play this Saturday,'' said Venglos, ''but he knows that there is a lot of competition for places in the team. He is here because he will strengthen the squad, but I am very confident that he will be a success in Glasgow.''
The head coach must know the strengths and weaknesses of his new #370,000 acquisition as well as any player he has managed, considering that it was he who gave him his first cap for Czechoslovakia 11 years ago.
''He has played on the right side of midfield and on the left, has vast experience internationally and I am sure he will work well with the top players at this club.'' said the team leader.
Moravcik left German club Duisburg because he had a row with the coach who refused to play him in the position he wanted, but he expressed his delight at coming to a team that ''everyone in Europe knows of . . . the first British club to win the European Cup . . .''
His track record of 74 caps for Czechoslovakia/Slovakia and a career with clubs like St Etienne and Bastia point to a class act, but at 33, the question Celtic fans will want answered is: Does he retain that ability?
Venglos has no doubts. ''It is not age that matters, but quality and performance on the field. We shall see that when he plays for Celtic. I believe in his qualities, but he will get no special favours from me because of our association.
''Like other players who come here with little English he will learn quickly.''
Venglos refused to discuss any names of other possible new signings but did acknowledge, as did chairman Fergus McCann, that others were being sought.
''I have every faith in the players we have here, but we had so many injuries that we do need to strengthen the squad.''
McCann also cited Celtic's wearisome and unhelpful policy (from their own fans' viewpoint as well as the media) of not talking about transfers until they are settled, even though everybody and his aunt is aware they are trying to sign Croatia Zagreb striker Marko Viduka.
He did insist that ''substantial'' funds were available for further investments, and added that the signing of Moravcik was unusually short-term (20 months) for the club, but he was a man the coach felt could prove important.
''Dr Jo has also identified areas in defence and attack that need strengthened, however, and we are actively pursuing those targets and, hopefully, will be able to report success soon.
The coach has been a great influence at the club and clearly is a man with a great football knowledge.
Of course I am a supporter and get frustrated like the rest of our fans when things don't go as well as I want, but we are very pleased with Dr Jozef. I am sure he will prove a big asset to this club.''
Asked if he had a response to some fans' complaint that they have paid #14m into the club for season tickets, but have seen only #2m net spent with a quarter of the season gone, he replied: '' Well, I would like to think that a large majority of our fans are not so simplistic as to believe that season ticket money equals transfer money.
''It doesn't work quite that way. Season ticket money at the present time doesn't even equal our wage bill. The important thing is that we are unique in this respect: we are run on a profitable line, able to generate income to invest in new players.
''It may not be an overnight quick-fix policy, but none the less I think it is a good foundation and is very much respected by a lot of our competitors.
''If you were taking the issue of season ticket money it is interesting to say that the average season ticket price brings in #10 per seat per game.
''In return for that it is up to us to bring in the very best quality of player, million pound high salary players, a high quality stadium and I think a lot of supporters realise we are delivering that as best as we can. I think most take a balanced view of that.
''We invested all of our profits last year and we'll continue that way. We have demands in all directions but there are substantial sums available for investment in players.
''We have a five-year rolling plan and although I will be leaving next year it that will go on so that we can afford the best.''
Meanwhile, UEFA last night confirmed they have cut FC Zurich's capacity to 17,000 for Tuesday's UEFA Cup return tie with Celtic.
Zurich's Letzigrund holds 23,500, but the the figure has been reduced by 6500 on safety grounds.
More than 15,000 tickets, 1500 of which were allocated to Celtic, have already been sold for the tie and the rest are expected to be sold before Zurich's Swiss league game against St Gallen tonight.
Coach Raimondo Ponte, however, has confirmed that mid-fielder Robert Huber, who was injured against Neuchatel Xamax last weekend, will be fit for the return.
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