Hoops spurred on by last year’s title collapse, says McCourt
The Hoops’ 0-0 draw against Rangers at Ibrox in April left Neil Lennon’s men one point behind their Old Firm rivals but with a game in hand and better goal difference.
Five straight wins would have guaranteed the return of the championship to the east end of Glasgow but a shock 3-2 defeat in Inverness handed the initiative back to the Ibrox side who clinched their third successive title on the last day.
Asked if the feeling at Celtic was that they had thrown the league away, the former Derry City player said: “I would probably be lying if I said that there wasn’t because at the end of the day, we had it in our hands with five games to go and we let it slip.
“If we won our five games we would have won the league.
“If you look back (earlier in the season), I think there were two or three home draws on the spin.
“People say we lost it then but I still look back at the Inverness game. We didn’t turn up that night and we got punished and we are still paying for it.
“Once you feel that hurt of coming so close, it’s not something you want to go through again. To come so close last year, and to play so well in so many games and then falter is disappointing.
“We only have ourselves to blame in that respect so we will be hoping to go and put it right this year. Once the season starts again, hopefully we hit the ground running and we can only try to rectify it by winning it this year.”
McCourt knows the importance of preventing Rangers retaining the title under new boss Ally McCoist.
“A title is important to this club every season,” he said.
“But when it gets to two and three years and you haven’t won it, it starts to get more important. Everyone involved with the club will be going all out to get it back.”
Last night Anthony Stokes scored as Celtic beat Cardiff 1-0 in a friendly at Cardiff City Stadium.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
