Latest news with #LukeMcCowan
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Sacking harsh on Docherty, but Dundee's ambition refreshing'
With survival secured, Tony Docherty's Dundee tenure has been brought to an abrupt highs were great. Tony can hold his head high for guiding the club to a top-six finish, ending our 21-year wait for a derby win at Tannadice and leaving behind a solid foundation to build on made up of youthful at the start of the season we were entertaining thoughts of Europe and in January we were 10 points ahead of St Johnstone who sat firmly at the bottom. Yet going into the final three games of the season there was still the mathematical possibility of Dundee finishing team have regressed and problems from Docherty's debut campaign continued to plague us this two consecutive seasons Dundee have lost the highest number of points from winning positions and often conceded the decisive goal very late on with no time to were too prone to 'freak results' this season too – the Boxing Day calamity against Ross County (who had the worst away record in Europe at the time), ending Aberdeen's 14-league game winless streak, shipping six goals to Hearts and surrendering favourable leads to St Johnstone, Dundee United and Kilmarnock. All those games were played at Dens problem was after the sale of Luke McCowan, the midfield dynamic was never one of the reasons why we conceded so many goals was down to the fact the defence were overexposed with little protection. The best Dundee's midfield ever looked post-McCowan to me was when Cesar Garza was introduced into the team alongside Mo Sylla, a partnership never seen again while Lyall Cameron was finished the season strong, but questions were raised on Docherty shoehorning him into the team – prioritising the midfielder's development ahead of deploying a system that best suits the I can sympathise with Docherty over injuries and departures, there is still a feeling more could have been done. We went into the season knowing Joe Shaughnessy would miss the majority of the campaign, we knew Scott Fraser was going to face a lengthy spell on the sidelines, and yet the recruitment policy overwhelmingly favoured prospects over I think these are good players with strong potential in time, that's time Docherty no longer has to reap the benefits. Neil McCann made a similar error during his Dundee reign Gary Bowyer was sacked on the back of winning the Championship title, no one among the fanbase was calling for Docherty to get the job and by the end of the following season we were all pleasantly surprised with the feels like a similar situation, emotions are high and the frontrunner name - Shaun Maloney - isn't particularly popular. But Gordon Strachan proved the fans wrong once, he should be trusted to do the same decision maybe is harsh on Docherty, but there is something refreshing about Dundee showing ambition and refusing to reward mediocrity.
BBC News
17-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Dream come true' for McCowan
Celtic midfielder Luke McCowan told BBC Scotland: "It's everything I thought [it would be] - something I've dreamt of since I was a kid."I'll never forget this day now. I need to relish days like this. I need to keep pushing."
BBC News
16-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
What is McCowan's advice to 17-year-old McArdle?
Luke McCowan revealed he has imparted some sage advice to Sean McArdle following the 17-year-old's breakthrough to the Celtic first McArdle has made his first two appearances off the bench in the past week as Celtic defeated Hibs 3-1 and Aberdeen 5-1."He's quiet," McCowan said. "It was funny, I was saying to him... he was behind me in one of the signing sessions and obviously you just scribble your name, your number. He wrote his full name, just on a print."And I said, 'Sean, you need to work on that because you'll be there for 10 hours walking out Parkhead'."He's a quiet boy but he works hard. And you can tell that he's desperate to come into the Celtic first team and and prove himself and do well."And if he performs the way he did on Wednesday night I'm sure he'll have so many more cameos because he's been a credit to himself to come in and train well. But also the most important thing is to do well in the games and he's been great."McCowan was among the scorers at Pittodrie as a Celtic side showing eight changes eased to victory, but the midfielder is adamant the Scottish Cup final between the teams a week on Saturday will not be a formality."No, and it never will be," he said. "As you've probably seen at the end, there's probably a wee bit of bite in the game right at the 90th minute because they know the cup final's coming as well."Listen, it's a cup final, it's anybody's game. You need to show up. I'm sure we will have that performance ready and we need to push each other until then to make sure that our mentality is right going into it."
Daily Record
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Aberdeen may be Celtic punchbags but Parkhead star wary they'll be no pushovers at Hampden
The Hoops midfielder is not going to get complacent against the Reds even if they have been put to the sword this season Luke McCowan insists Celtic are not banking on a Hampden stroll in the sun against Aberdeen. The Hoops have smashed an incredible 19 goals past the Pittodrie men in five games this season including Wednesday's 5-1 Granite City gubbing. Brendan Rodgers' side – who are sweating on the fitness of Reo Hatate for the showpiece – are massive favourites to inflict more punishment and complete the Treble. But McCowan insisted NO ONE in the Parkhead dressing room will be expecting a Scottish Cup Final walkover. He said: 'No, it never will be. As you've probably saw at the end there, there's probably a wee bit of bite in the game right at the 90th minute because they know the Cup Final's coming as well. "So, listen, it's a Cup Final. It's anybody's game. You just need to show up and I'm sure we'll have that performance ready and we need to push each other until then to make sure that our mentality is right going into it. 'It wasn't easy, I would say. You still have to fight and you still have to battle away. I think at times we were probably just ruthless in our play. 'I thought our play was magnificent at times. They went man-for-man press. We were able to go from one side and switch to the other and dominate by doing that. 'As I said, the goals come, the more open the game becomes and it all worked out.' Celtic have scorched over the finishing line in the Premiership and are heading to Hampden at full throttle. McCowan wants another big statement performance on Trophy Day against St Mirren this weekend to take into the Final. He said: 'That's the plan. Even after you win the league, it's about maintaining the focus and keeping the mentality. 'If that mentality slips, it's so hard to get it back. It's so hard to find that bite in games when you don't create it with your mentality. 'So, no, we just need to keep that again come Saturday, push again and have a good day on Saturday and then be in the best place come the Cup Final.' McCowan was a star turn at Pittodrie with a goal and two assists in the five goal rout to fire himself into the frame for the Final. Midfielder Hatate is being assessed by club docs after he limped off late in the Pittodrie clash following a heavy collision with Dons forward Papa Gueye. McCowan took a hefty knock as well but he insisted he's ready if called upon for the end-of-season showpiece. The former Dundee man – who has notched seven goals this term for Celts – said: 'I took a few sore ones, but it's the joys of playing I guess. I've not felt that for a wee while now, so it feels good to get the knocks back. 'I don't know. You can't really think about it. As I said, the boys that have been starting have been doing absolutely incredible. 'It's up to boys that aren't starting to push them in training to try and get in that spot, but also to fight for your way to becoming on within the game and impacting it then. 'If you just keep doing that and keeping your attitude right, then you're always in with a chance. 'I've just got to keep myself composed. If I'm not playing, as I said, I've got to be charging to get on and making impacts.'
North Wales Chronicle
14-05-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Brendan Rodgers looking to strengthen Scottish core at Celtic this summer
Luke McCowan has enjoyed a successful first season at Celtic Park since joining from Dundee and Rodgers has already secured former Hoops player Kieran Tierney on a pre-contract. Celtic could join a number of teams competing for Motherwell midfielder Lennon Miller after showing interest in the 18-year-old in January. Rodgers said: 'You always look from within to see if there are players in your academy who can make the step up. 'It has been very difficult in recent times just because of the level the team and the club are operating at. But there is a pathway for a young players here 100 per cent, with patience and a bit of development. 'The second look of course is outside. I have loved working with the Scottish players when I have been up here. Going back to my first spell I had Ryan (Christie) and Stu (Armstrong) and all the other guys. They were absolutely brilliant for me. 'That is what we do. We look homegrown to see if there is anyone we feel can improve our squad, to see if there is a young player who can come in and has that potential to be a starter here. So it is always something we cover in our recruitment.' Rodgers stressed it was important to have a Scottish core. 'It's very important whatever league you are in,' he said. 'If you are in Spain having a Spanish core is important, if you are in Italy it would be an Italian core. For me, it is absolutely key. 'The boys who have come through at Celtic here understand what this club is about. They have been here as young guys, they have come through, they are brought up in the values of Celtic. 'Guys like Tony (Ralston) are really pivotal to the culture of this club. He doesn't play every single game, but he is probably one of our most important players here because of his history at the club. 'But also the likes of Greg Taylor, the other Scottish boys, not just the guys who have come through here, are important. Scott Bain doesn't play hardly ever, but he has been a real leader behind the scenes as well. Having the Scottish core here is 100 per cent key to your success.' With the league already won and a Scottish Gas Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen to follow, Rodgers will reshuffle his team for Wednesday's trip to Pittodrie. But he stressed there remained a demand to not just win – but win in style. 'When I came in (2016), Celtic were already winning,' he said. 'Ronny (Deila) had done great the previous few years. My job was to get the team winning in the very best way, to upgrade everything around what we do on and off the pitch. ☀️⛰️#ABECEL | #CelticFC🍀🏆 — Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) May 13, 2025 'That creates a mentality. We got that first treble, we gained confidence to get another one and then the culture is in place. 'Neil (Lennon) did a fantastic job winning a treble, Ange (Postecoglou) wins a treble, and now we have the possibility of doing it again.' Rodgers added: 'Any club's DNA is built around the most successful period. With Celtic, it was the European Cup in 1967. 'Once you have that special success, that's the DNA that runs through the club. 'At this football club, winning is not enough. It really isn't. That's why the club picks managers that win, but also understand performance.'
