Lack of fitness didn't cost us, says Mowbray

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(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-07-31 09:12

GLASGOW: Celtic manager Tony Mowbray refused to blame his players' lack of match fitness as the reason his side crashed to a 1-0 defeat against Dynamo Moscow in the first leg of a crucial third round Champions League qualifier at Parkhead on Wednesday.

Lack of fitness didn't cost us, says Mowbray

Celtic's Chris Killen (L) challenges Dynamo Moscow's Marcin Kowalczyk and Vladimir Granat (R) during their Champions League qualifying soccer match at Celtic Park in Glasgow on Wednesday. Dynamo Moscow won 1-0. [Agencies]

The 45-year-old former West Bromwich Albion boss watched as his new look side slipped to a narrow defeat in his first competitive game in charge to severely dent Celtic's chances of reaching the lucrative group stages of the competition.

The Hoops looked well off the pace of the game as the Russians, who are half-way through their domestic season, soaked up pressure and were able to break at ease on the counter-attack.

Celtic had kept a clean sheet in their four preseason games but it took Dynamo just seven minutes to break down the Hoops defence when Alexander Korobin prodded home past Artur Boruc to give them a vital away goal to take into next week's second leg in Moscow.

But Mowbray said his side's lack of match fitness wasn't a contributing factor to the defeat and praised Dynamo manager Andrey Kobelev for getting his tactics spot on.

"I don't think they were sharper. We maybe ran out of steam a little bit at times," said Mowbray, who played for Celtic from 1991-95.

"They are a classic counter attack team and they can give the impression of being sharper because they have little quick breaks every now and then.

"But generally they controlled the football match for long spells and were always a threat.

"We played against a team that is very well structured, organized and difficult to break down. They are experienced footballers and you have to give them some credit."

Celtic winger Shaun Maloney also denied match fitness played a part and is confident Celtic can become only the second Scottish club in history to overturn a first leg defeat to qualify for the Champions League play-offs.

"I don't want to use lack of fitness as an excuse. We have played four games in preseason and done lots of fitness work and I don't want to say that is the reason they won on Wednesday.

"It's going to take a massive effort to win over there but I don't think it is beyond us."

And despite the defeat Mowbray is not contemplating having to take the consolation prize of a spot in the Europa Cup and said he saw enough from his players to believe they can win in the Dynamo Stadium next Wednesday.

"I'm still optimistic enough. On the evidence of the first leg I think we can go there and get a victory," Mowbray added.

"This team gave us different questions to answer than what we had in the first four games and we have to come up with the answers as we move to next week.

"We have got to be able to adapt and change and that is something we will get better at as we move along.

"I think there is enough evidence from Wednesday's game that we can go there and win a football match but we have to be mindful of their qualities."

Mowbray handed Celtic Park debuts to summer signings Marc-Antoine Fortune and Landry Nguemo but neither impressed against the Russian Premier League side.

Fortune especially struggled, missing several opportunities in the box as he looked for his first goal for the Old Firm giants.

But Mowbray, who had the player on loan last season at West Brom, says he has every confidence in the French striker.

"No doubt he needs a goal but I've no concerns to be fair. I think the boy works very hard for the team and his goal will come," Mowbray said.

"He's hit the bar and the post in preseason. He probably needs one to go in and he will be away but that's football."