Fortune can help provide missing link, says Tony Mowbray

Published on Tuesday 3 November 2009 21:50

CELTIC manager Tony Mowbray believes that Marc-Antoine Fortune's comeback could herald a return to goalscoring form for the side.

Fortune was criticised for his lack of goals during pre-season and Celtic's Champions League campaign.

But Mowbray believes the former Nancy striker's link-up play has been a costly absence during his two-month lay-off with a knee injury.

Fortune came off the bench during Celtic's 3-0 victory over Kilmarnock on Saturday and is pushing for an appearance in tomorrow night's crucial Europa League contest against Hamburg in Germany.

Celtic had won just once in six games before the Kilmarnock victory and their Europa League campaign has come unstuck through a series of missed chances.

Fortune did net two goals against St Johnstone before suffering the knee problem during the Champions League defeat against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

But it his all-round play in setting others up that Mowbray feels is his key contribution to the team.

"It's easy to look back and say that we've missed Marc but you always miss good players when they are out," Mowbray told the Celtic View. "He adds something different to the team. When he was fit and available at the start of the season, the team was generally scoring goals.

"He gives us a different dimension to the qualities of Scott McDonald and Georgios Samaras.

"Those two players have worked very hard for us, but Marc's work with his back to goal can give us a platform.

"We will look to utilise him and the other strikers as the season goes on. They all have a part to play, but I was delighted with Marc's return."

Fortune's ability to hold the ball up could be utilised by Mowbray as he seeks to settle into the game tomorrow night against a Hamburg side who won 1-0 at Parkhead two weeks ago.

Mowbray looks set to start with one up front despite Celtic sitting bottom of the group with just one point from three games.

"You can never know how a game pans out, but we need to make sure we stay in the football match," he said.

"Hamburg have talented players, but we could also see from the first game that we can compete with them.

"We will give them respect, but we know we have to score a goal over there.

"We'll set the team up to stay in the game but we'll also be pushing the longer the game goes on and hopefully we get the rewards out of it."