Challenge to Celtic is ‘refreshing’, says Alex McLeish

A LOOK at the Scottish Premier League table is entitled to make Alex McLeish feel nostalgic. The last time the Easter Road side were proving the main title threat to Celtic, it was late 2000 and McLeish was the Leith club’s manager. Meanwhile, Aberdeen, were they to beat Celtic in the lunchtime kick-off on Saturday and then league leaders Hibs fail to win at Dundee, would go top of the table in November for the first time since 1993. Then, McLeish was coming towards the final days of a stellar Pittodrie playing career that brought him four titles.

With a third of the current campaign gone, McLeish calls it “refreshing” that the title is not proving the procession it was supposed to be for Neil Lennon’s side. Ultimately, it may still become that, with the former Scotland manager not going overboard about Hibs and Aberdeen’s potential staying power. “It is great to see it,” McLeish said. “I don’t know the depths and strengths of their squads but they certainly are two teams who are playing 
with a lot of confidence, and 
I know what confidence can 
do for any team. If you could bottle that up, I’m sure they would stay up there.

“It’s exciting. People were thinking Celtic would be 10 points clear just now but it’s been good for the league that teams are being really competitive.

“And, if Aberdeen and Hibs have the quality to go with the confidence, there is no reason why they can’t challenge to the end of the season.”