Elena Sadiku has insisted her side were worthy title winners last season as they prepare for their first meeting of the campaign against Rangers.
Jo Potter’s side were pipped to the title in the dramatic final moments of the campaign. And Celtic boss Sadiku has poured cold water on any theory Rangers had the better squad last season. “They were not (the better team). We won the league, we always aim to win and to win well. That is not going to change.”
Sadiku has been no stranger to a bit of fighting talk with her side’s rivals across the city. She crossed words with Potter back in April after Rangers’ win in the Scottish Cup semi-finals, after Potter had criticised their use of the pre-match huddle.
The Gers boss said those ‘tactics’ were a sign of Celtic’s weak mindset, before Sadiku fired back: “We always do the same thing before games but I think she just wants to have something to say and be tough about it, so I don’t care what she’s saying.
“I think she just wants to have something to say. If she thinks that’s our mindset then she can because I couldn’t care less what she has to say.
“We always do the same thing so I don’t know where she got that from. If it’s something she wants to focus on, let her focus on it.
“If you look at the previous games we played, look at the huddle, look how much time it takes. If she wants to take issue, make us look bad, I have no idea but if she wants to keep focusing on it she can. If that makes her happy to say it, let her say it.”
As far as Potter is concerned, Thursday’s clash is about keeping up their 100 per cent start and making sure there are no slips this time. On the final day of the SWPL last May, Potter spoke about wanting her players to feel the title hurt.
Last season Rangers did not lose in the league to either Celtic or City but isolated slip-ups elsewhere proved particularly costly. “These games do matter, you can’t lose too many, they’re important but you can’t take your eye off any of the others,” said Potter.
“We know we have to be bang at it. We had a healthy head start last season before the split so we want to maintain that.”