Mark Wotte, who has variously served as a former SFA performance chief and a past player and technical director for Feyenoord, anticipates that Celtic will utilise a counter-attacking and physically robust strategy against Feyenoord.
This expectation is based on the tactics commonly deployed by Eredivisie teams when squaring off against Feyenoord. Wotte is confident that the Dutch side will find the back of the net but counsels Brendan Rodgers and his Celtic squad to be circumspect and not overly expansive in their Champions League Group E opener.
Wotte told SunSport, “This is a memorable game between the clubs – there’s so much history involving Feyenoord and Celtic.”
He also delves into the rich history between the two clubs, harking back to Feyenoord’s triumph over Celtic in the 1970 European Cup. Wotte highlights the contributions of Celtic legends such as Wim Jansen, Henrik Larsson, Bobby Petta, and Pierre van Hooijdonk, who were all warmly received at Feyenoord.
Having had a brief playing career and a more significant administrative role at Feyenoord, Wotte expects the Dutch team to press high and circulate the ball swiftly. He believes Rodgers will be well-prepared for this and will likely instruct his team to adopt a more defensive stance.
Acknowledging Feyenoord’s current goal-scoring prowess, Wotte is keen to see how Celtic will adapt under Rodgers’ stewardship. He also believes that Celtic’s recent experience of playing at an empty Ibrox will stand them in good stead for the upcoming fixture.
While Mark Wotte might think this is the best course of action for Celtic, it’s worth noting that the Bhoys may not have the core strength in midfield to be overly physical. This could be the Achilles’ heel that unravels them if they attempt to adopt such a tactic.
