Celtic striker Georgios Samaras hopes Hibs can keep up challenge

Published on Saturday 7 November 2009 10:52

CELTIC striker Georgios Samaras says he would welcome Hibs providing a serious and lasting challenge to the Old Firm duopoly this season.

The Easter Road men have split the Glasgow giants by moving into second place behind Tony Mowbray's men and the former Manchester City striker, like most people in Scottish football, is happy to see a different name near the top of the table.

Ahead of the trip to play Falkirk tomorrow, Greece international Samaras said: "When we played against them in the second or third game of the season and won 1-0, it was a really tough game.

"They are a good team but I don't know if they can stay there.

"We see a lot of teams who have a good start and for the first six months they are doing well, but they blow up because us and Rangers have the quality to stay there until the end.

"But I hope they are good enough to challenge until the end of the season because it would be a nice surprise, like it was when Hearts did it a few years ago."

Celtic face a Falkirk side whose problems intensified this week after going four points adrift at the foot of the SPL.

Jackie McNamara and Kjartan Finnbogason were both added to manager Eddie May's injury list while the prognosis on Burton O'Brien's stomach muscle injury is a two-month lay-off.

May, still looking for his first SPL win, said: "It comes at a difficult time, with Jackie missing for six weeks, Burton O'Brien for eight, Finnbogason for three and Tam Scobbie has still got another six to go.

"We're very restricted in terms of players we can put on the park.

"But it gives people an opportunity who have been here a number of years who maybe think they should have been playing. They can prove they should be playing in the Premier League."