Celtic can get result at Inverness with fringe players

Who'd have thought that would be the scenario when the fixtures came out?

The biggest difficulty I see for Ronny Deila and his team is the timing of this game, slap bang in the middle of the Champions League play-off ties against Maribor.

Which is why I would expect to see a number of players rested tomorrow, and fringe players and some youngsters given the chance to show what they can do.

I recall Neil Lennon did that a couple of seasons ago, when Paddy McCourt and a number of young players were brought into the starting XI for a game at Inverness.

They won with a bit to spare, and I reckon even a Celtic side missing a few of their first picks can get a good result tomorrow.

It's no slight on Inverness, who have started the season so well under former Celtic central defender John Hughes.

But Tuesday's play-off game has so much riding on it that it is really the only result that matters.

Those who come in will relish the opportunity.

When the Celtic side which still contained most of the Lisbon Lions struggled to get results at Broomfield around 1969, Jock Stein sent a team packed with several of the Quality Street Kids to play Airdrie there.

We won 4-0, driven on by the opportunity to play a first-team game.

There are a number of players on the fringes of things at the moment who should be bursting a gut if they are handed a chance to help the club tomorrow.

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