Ahead of the much-anticipated midday showdown on Sunday between Celtic and Rangers at Ibrox, Liam Scales shared his thoughts during a pre-match press conference.
The Irishman, who is poised to partner with CCV in the heart of Celtic’s defence, conveyed a sense of calm and readiness within the squad. With a full week of preparation under their belt, Scales emphasised the team’s positive mood and the comprehensive training regimen they’ve undergone to gear up for what many are calling the season’s biggest game. The big defender also touched on the physical readiness of the team, highlighting the return of key players to full fitness as a crucial advantage.
Liam also downplayed the notion of added pressure on either side, suggesting an equal intensity and significance for both teams given the tight race at the top of the table. Reflecting on his past experiences in the derby, he described the unique intensity and atmosphere of these matches, noting the personal growth and readiness that comes from such high-stakes games.
The Irishman also pointed out the significant role of leadership and experience, specifically praising captain Callum McGregor’s influence on the team’s dynamics. This clash at Ibrox, according to Scales, is more than just a game; it’s a pivotal moment in the title race, yet it’s approached with the mindset that it’s worth three points like any other match.
Here is Liam’s full transcribed press conference:
- On the mood in the squad ahead of the game: “Yeah, it’s good, we’re preparing well this week. We’ve had a full week to sort of train and get ready for it and no, we’re feeling good. We’re getting everything right and prepared for the weekend.”
- On squad and personnel condition: “Yeah, definitely. Look, people are getting back fit, we’re sort of coming into a period where the midweek games are sort of slowed down and we have full weeks to prepare for games and it’s sort of given us a little bit of a breather and it’s been good for us.”
- On the significance of the match for the title race: “Yeah, obviously it’s important for the title race but I wouldn’t say it’s sort of a title decider, you know. There’s plenty more games to play and obviously, we’ll have to play them again after the split so it’s definitely massively important and a win will be huge for us. We know that, but we also know that it’s not a decider and again it’s three points like every other game so we’re treating it like that.”
- On whether there’s more pressure on Rangers: “I don’t think so. I think it’s quite equal to be honest. I think it’s so tight, like either way whatever way it goes it’s still going to be tight and I think there’s equal pressure on us both.”
- On his experience in the previous derbies: “Mental to be honest. The first one, like to be thrown into that one at Ibrox, that was mad. The first 10 minutes I couldn’t catch my breath and obviously, you got into the game and settled well and we got good results in both of them but look, it’s a brilliant game to be part of and I’m really looking forward to it again. It’s the sort of games you want to be playing as a footballer, it’s up there with the biggest in world football.”
- On the intensity of these games compared to his previous experiences: “Yeah, I’d say it’s sort of the intensity and the atmosphere in the ground, all that sort of plays into it a lot and it was probably the most intense I’ve played, up there with the Champions League games I suppose in terms of intensity, but you obviously have that rivalry there which makes it a bit more intense.”
- On his personal preparation and experience going into the game: “Yeah, I mean, I have experience of it now so that helps, you know, but at the same time I’m still preparing for it the same way as I prepared those months ago. But the experience of the games, I know what to expect now so that’ll help me.”
- On the significance of this game in his career and the team’s readiness: “They’re all big, you know, but yeah, I mean probably towards the end of the season they do get a bit more intense especially when it’s this tight so probably is yeah. And in terms of where the team is at the minute, you feel like you’re in a good place in terms of players coming back and the results you’ve had over the past couple of weeks, yeah definitely.”
- On the boost from players returning from injuries: “Yeah, it’s great, you know. They’re all good players, they’ve all experienced this game and it’s massive for us to sort of have a strong a squad as possible.”
- On the impact of captain Callum McGregor: “He’s massive for us, you know, he’s our leader so that helps a lot like I think mentally more than anything that helps because you’re going there with your captain and that’s massive for us. He’s obviously a top player and he’s so good at controlling the tempo of the game and that’s going to be key for us as well so he’s a huge player to have in fixtures like this.”
Credit: Celtic Youtube.
