Jim Goodwin hails Dundee United’s determination to keep Celtic out | OneFootball

Jim Goodwin hailed his side’s determination as Dundee United gained a hard-fought point in their 0-0 draw with Celtic yesterday afternoon…

Jim Goodwin at Tannadice, Dundee Utd v Celtic, Sunday 22 December 2024. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Coupled with short-term injuries and illness, Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers was forced to make several changes with stand-ins Stephen Welsh and Yang making rare appearances from the starting XI.

First-team regulars Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, Alistair Johnston, Nicolas Kuhn and James Forrest were all absent for Celtic’s visit to Tannadice.

A tightly-packed Dundee United team

Dundee Utd v Celtic, Sunday 22 December 2024. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Struggling to break a tightly-packed Dundee United team down, the Scottish champions had to settle for a point meaning the gap between themselves and theRangers has been cut over the weekend by two points with Celtic now having a nine points lead going into Christmas – who wouldn’t have taken that position at the start of the season?

The hosts remain a point behind Motherwell in fourth, and with Aberdeen in dismal form, chasing third spot should not be an unrealistic target for the Tangerines.

Speaking post-match, Jim Goodwin was delighted with his side’s discipline, grit and determination which saw Dundee United become the first domestic team to keep a clean-sheet against Celtic this season.

Goodwin said:  “Listen, there was probably far too many people connected to me in the opposition end so I’m glad that my phone is not going to be buzzing with people having a pop because they managed to trounce us.”

“The pleasing thing for us is that we can go and enjoy Christmas now, off the back of a really positive result. The supporters were outstanding again today, great numbers here to get behind the team and hopefully they can enjoy their Christmas as well.”

“The strength and depth that Celtic have got, it’s quite remarkable in terms of the like-for-like changes that they can make. I know guys in the media and pundits and that will talk about the players that Celtic were missing, and we’ll talk about the conditions.”

“No doubt those two things possibly played a part, but we’re missing players of our own. We had to play in the same conditions as they did today. I think our players deserve a huge amount of credit for what they put into it.”

Jim Goodwin and Brendan Rodgers at Tannadice, Dundee Utd v Celtic, Sunday 22 December 2024. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

He added: “It felt like an eternity trying to get through that particular period [added time]. Obviously, the changes that Brendan is making as well, real quality players in Palma and Engels and Bernardo and Idah going on to support Kyogo at the top end.

“You’ve just got to really compliment the players for their concentration levels throughout, because there was a lot of cramp setting in, a lot of fatigue. They put their bodies on the line.”

“There was a couple of goalmouth scrambles at the end. We did actually have a couple of half chances ourselves in that second half as well, so we could have possibly nicked a 1-0 win.”

“I’m not saying it would have been justified, but had the break of the ball fallen a little bit kinder to us in and around the Celtic goal, then you just never know. But we would have taken this before the game.”

Conor Spence

Celtic in the Thirties

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