Paulo Bernardo 'cook' on Portugal duty as he leads U-21s to Euros and Ange has 'thinking to do' - Celtic news bulletin
It is your morning Hoops news fix as Paulo Bernardo leads by example to take his country to the U-21 Euros
Paulo Bernardo has been labelled the 'cook' on Portugal duty as he captained his side to Euros qualification.
The Celtic midfielder was rated the man of the match by Portuguese media outlet A Bola as the Under-21s defeated the Faroe Islands on the road 3-1 to book their spot in the finals. The Hoops' summer signing - joining Brendan Rodgers' men permanently after a successful loan stint from Benfica - put the icing on the cake of a top performance by sticking one in the top corner in the final minute of the game.
Rating the Parkhead star an 8/10, the media outlet in his homeland heaped huge praise on the midfielder while hailing his strike as a 'true work of art', they wrote: "He played as the most defensive apex of the midfield diamond, but that didn't stop him from joining in the attack on a number of occasions. The fact that the opponent lined up in a (very) low block allowed the captain to take advantage of the space and, towards the end, the cherry on the cake: a shot into the top corner for a true work of art. A great goal!"
Portugal went a goal down as early as the third minute but it was another familiar face to SCottish football that levelled. Former Rangers loanee Fabio Silva brought the game level before Gabriel Bras turned the game on its head. It was then a piece of magic from Bernardo that secured the points and a place for Portugal at the Euro 2025 championships.
Meanwhile, Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham have some thinking to do after throwing away a two-goal lead at Brighton to lose 3-2 in their last outing before the international break. Graeme Souness believes trying to out-football and out-score opponents when you 'don't have the best players' is a tad naive on the part of the North London outfit.
The Rangers hero has however absolved former Celtic boss Ange of any blame for the defeat and insists the defeat was all down to the players on the pitch. But it will give them all food for thought. He wrote in his Daily Mail column: "When you're 2-0 up at half-time, as Spurs were at Brighton last weekend, the only dressing room chat is: ‘More of the same. Imagine it’s 0-0. We can’t allow them to score the first goal. We put this to bed by scoring again’. That’s bog-standard coach/ manager speak.
"But the players went out and looked like a different team. It’s disturbing, because Ange Postecoglou is now not sure about some of those players. How could the ones he thought had a bit about them throw away a 2-0 lead like that? I would suggest that even the very, very best football teams have to adapt the game plan when it’s not working. You’ve got to be able to change the way you play.
"To think you can out-football and out-score everyone when you don’t have the best players, which Tottenham don’t, is a tad naive of them. I’m not putting any blame on the performance at the manager’s door. The defeat was totally down to the guys on the pitch. But Spurs have some thinking to do."
Elsewhere, Chris Sutton has weighed in on the big TV debate with Cetlic and Aberdeen facing a TV blackout. The Premiership top two - both boasting 100 per cent records with seven wins from seven games battle it out when the domestic action returns, but the match will NOT be beamed live.
Speaking in his Record Sport column, the Hoops hero delivered his view on the big talking point. He wrote: "I’m not one to sit on the fence but I can see both sides of the argument over this so-called television blackout. Do I think Celtic v Aberdeen should be screened live? Absolutely. It’s a top of the table clash and the game of the season so far.
"But the broadcasters have their hands tied. I understand Celtic wanting to defend their season ticket sales and not wanting to risk punters not turning up. We saw what happened with the Rangers game against St Johnstone on the Sunday night recently, where there were empty seats all over Ibrox.
"I’m sure Celtic fans would turn up regardless of the kick-off time whether it was on television or not, given the nature of this game but I can see the argument. The broadcasters get a bit of a criticism for this stuff but their hands are tied. The restriction on the amount of home games is a real conundrum.
"What happens if Sky do show this one – but then have bust their allowance for Celtic Park when the title race gets into the home straight. There would be an outcry from fans. You can’t win really. If the game was shifted to another time, there would be moaning about the scheduling. Aberdeen fans might grumble about an early start, Celtic might whinge about recovery time before their Champions League clash against Atalanta. You just know people would find something to complain about.
"As far as I am concerned, I would love to see the biggest games in Scotland on the box, whether it’s Celtic against the Dons, Rangers facing Hearts, the Edinburgh or Dundee derbies, you name it.
"But the clubs are the ones who prevent this happening. They only allow a certain number of games and the financial incentives to take on a couple more is obviously not lucrative enough for Celtic to accept. Until the clubs agree to change it, that’s just the way it’s going to be and the broadcasters will need to deal with it accordingly."