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Soccer Digest: Bellamy may not break up winning team

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE: Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has a dilemma over which strikers he selects for the Scotland Premier…

Sat Feb 12 2005 - 00:00

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE: Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has a dilemma over which strikers he selects for the Scotland Premier League clash at Inverness Caledonian Thistle tomorrow.

Recent loan signing Craig Bellamy, who was not risked on the Dunfermline plastic pitch last week, is pushing to make his debut after two goals for Wales in midweek.

Despite that feat, O'Neill admitted it was difficult to split up the partnership of John Hartson and Chris Sutton after they scored three goals between them against Dunfermline.

"They played very well, no doubt about it," explained O'Neill. "The two of them are getting on game by game and look better than ever before so it is a dilemma.

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"But that's if everybody's fit. We'll see how we get on.

"I am pleased that Craig Bellamy is at the club and if he stays fit then he will do well for us."

Meanwhile, Shota Arveladze and Peter Lovenkrands return for Rangers' game against Hibernian at Ibrox today. Arveladze was sidelined with a calf injury, while Lovenkrands had been struggling with a thigh strain.

Maurice Ross' 100th appearance for Rangers looks likely to be put on hold after he picked up a knock in training.

Midfielder Barry Ferguson is primed to make his first appearance at Ibrox since returning to the club from Blackburn Rovers.

TOTTENHAM: Robbie Keane has written off Tottenham's chances of winning a place in Europe this season.

Spurs are ninth in the Premiership but the Republic of Ireland striker reckons any hopes of qualifying for Europe have already vanished.

Keane declared: "We have to be honest with ourselves and I don't think Europe's a realistic aim for this season. We have a great squad but this year is probably a little bit too soon for us. It takes time to adapt."

GERMAN MATCH-FIXING: Hamburg SV will receive 2 million and will host an international friendly as compensation for a German Cup defeat last year which was later found to have been fixed.

After talks with the German FA, Hamburg agreed to withdraw their appeal to be reinstated to the cup after losing to SC Paderborn last year in a match refereed by Robert Hoyzer, the man at the centre of Germany's soccer betting scandal.