Dundee 3-3 Celtic – Tony Doherty’s take on pulsating match his team so nearly won

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The Celtic Star

·15 de janeiro de 2025

Dundee 3-3 Celtic – Tony Doherty’s take on pulsating match his team so nearly won

Dundee boss Tony Docherty gave his assessment of Dundee’s pulsating 3-3 draw with Celtic last night at Dens Park…

Dundee manager Tony Docherty at Dens Park, Dundee v Celtic. 14th January 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Dundee were within minutes of their first win over Celtic in 24 years, a run of 45 matches. Arne Engels’ late equaliser from the penalty spot means The Dark Blues have not beaten the reigning Scottish champions since Fabian Caballero’s brace saw Dundee defeat Martin O’Neill’s Celtic 2-0 in May 2001.

Vídeos OneFootball

Dundee’s third goal. Dens Park, Dundee v Celtic. 14th January 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Speaking to the television cameras post-match, Tony Docherty praised his team for wobbling Celtic and displaying a commendable fightback on two occasions in the game.

🗣️ "It's quite a hard one to take to be honest, a bit of mixed emotions" 🦸‍♂️ "That was bordering on a heroic performance that merited all three points" Dundee manager Tony Docherty reacts to his side's draw with Celtic⤵️
– terça-feira, 14 de janeiro de 2025

Q: Tony, what can you say after that one tonight?

Tony Docherty: “It’s quite a hard one to take, to be honest. A bit of mixed emotions because I’m really disappointed, I thought we had done enough to see the game out but I need to balance that and absolutely praise the character and personality of the team. When Celtic are bringing on [Nicolas] Kuhn, [Reo] Hatate and the standard of players they are bringing on, and [Luis] Palma, [Arne] Engels, the quality they are bringing on. I’ve asked Lyall Cameron to come on the pitch there, he is ill, he is sick, he is not ready to play, but [Cesar] Garza can’t continue, Finn Robertson hasn’t trained with us for a week as well, but he’s spent so I need to bring on [Scott] Tiffoney, a striker to do a midfield’s role.

“But you know what that’s what I’ve got, and that’s why I’m so proud, I hope you can pick up on it, how much they boys give to me, give to their football club because that was bordering on heroic tonight, absolutely heroic. It’s a never say die attitude, but there’s real quality in our play as well, and I thought there was some real top performances that I think merited a win that I have been just told that it would have been the first time in 36 years Dundee have beat Celtic and I think the players deserved that tonight for their mentality and spirit.”

Dundee celebrations. Dens Park, Dundee v Celtic. 14th January 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Q: Second half you had the aggression but also the quality as well, does that please you that you got both sides of your game right?

Tony Docherty: “Absolutely. And it was the was the same with the balance when we faced theRangers here as well, it’s getting that balance. I know the defensive organisation, it’s good. The best bit about that is the attacking threat beyond that as well, and I thought there were so many strong performances there. The most pleasing thing for me as a manager, it’s alright me sitting at the side of the park, but the players sensed that. We made Celtic wobble there in the second half, we applied pressure we had a high press, and I’ve not seen many teams do that against Celtic.

“When you get the disparity between us and Celtic financially and in terms of where we are just now, that performance is bordering on heroic. I’m just gutted for the players in there that we never seen it out and didn’t get that win which would have been the first win against Celtic in 36 years. So, disappointed but I need to be balanced about it.”

Dundee celebrations. Dens Park, Dundee v Celtic. 14th January 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Q: That says a lot about your team, that you are disappointed not to win against Celtic does it not?

Tony Docherty: “Yeah, it says a lot. The last two performances against Celtic and theRangers here, I’ve got a dressing room that are gutted. But, I’ve just said to them if that doesn’t instil a real belief, because we’ll get stronger. We’ve got eight out injured as you know.

“We’ll get stronger as the season goes on, but sometimes you can’t put mentality, spirit and resilience into players. We’ve shown that as a group in abundance and as I say, I think that was bordering on a heroic performance that I think merited three points.”