Calvin Miller watched Celtic thrash Slovan from the stands but now he wants Falkirk to beat them at their OWN game

-Credit: (Image: SNS Group)
-Credit: (Image: SNS Group)


It's a ritual when lower-league opposition pitches up at Parkhead or Ibrox in the cup to ask who has been begging players for briefs.

“Nobody needs a ticket this week for the Falkirk end so that tells you a lot!” laughed Celt turned Bairn Calvin Miller when put to him. Sure enough, the 26-year-old was in the stands himself on Wednesday to watch Brendan Rodgers’ side warm up for today with a 5-1 shellacking of Slovan Bratislava. Every time the net bulged may have brought glee and a gulp in tandem but the attacker is adamant sides bossed by John McGlynn, just like his old gaffer Rodgers, will leave the bus where it belongs in the car park.

Asked if he sees similarities between his former and current manager, Miller said: “I do. The way we try to play football is similar to how Celtic try to play – fast attacking, high-pressing. That’s like Celtic but obviously are a way better version than us. We won’t be sitting back and we’ll do our high press. Tactically, the gaffer has us drilled.

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“I went there in January last year with Morton – I was excited then and it’s the same situation with Falkirk. It will be a tough game. You want to go there and prove a point from your own standards and set your own mark in the game.

“I was at the Champions League game. You see the form Celtic are in just now, they are in the best place possible but so are we. We’ll not go there to just sit back. We’ll give it our best shot and be right up for it. Hopefully there will have changes because you think they are going to concentrate on the Champions League, which would be the smart idea.

“And they have that rotation within their squad that whoever is coming in and out, the quality is exactly right up there so it will be tough regardles. Last week Hearts had a bank of 5-3-2. The other night in the Champions League, Slovan Bratislava were pinned in at times.

“That will happen to us at times. But if we’re in these scenarios, goal kicks, we’ll be up high press, we won’t be just dropping off, I know the ball comes in fast from the ball boys. But it’s stuff we’ve worked in training that if we can try to be high as much as possible.

“We need to try to retain the ball, any time you get it you need to be brave and not just lump it up the park, then they’re coming back on top of you again.”

That trip with Morton saw him leave with old team-mate James Forrest’s top as consolation for a 5-0 Scottish Cup drubbing. This time he’d love to mark a few reunions with more than a jersey for the house as part of a Bairns side who have lost just once in 90 minutes this season.

Calvin Miller ahead of Celtic vs Falkirk -Credit:SNS Group
Calvin Miller ahead of Celtic vs Falkirk -Credit:SNS Group

Miller added: “It feels like you were only there yesterday but football flies in. If you speak to anyone about their career, you’ve got to embrace every moment. Sunday will be one of those moments when I will be taking everything in. My closest from Celtic I was keeping in touch with was probably Mikey Johnston but he’s obviously just left.

“I would speak to Anthony Ralston here and there, he’s doing well. Callum McGregor, James Forrest... it’s nice to see all the boys from when I was there. It’s mostly the same staff as well. I came through under Brendan, so it will be nice to maybe have a wee conversation with him and catch up on things.

“When I was coming through under Brendan, it was a completely different situation then. He had me in a ‘defensive’ role but it wasn’t exactly defensive, just a label of left-back – the way Celtic played at that time, it was literally just attacking football.

“You had 80 per cent possession and especially at home you were a left winger, to be honest. I learned a lot tactically and positionally. You are always going to be learning when around the quality of players at Celtic. Hopefully I can take some of those experiences into the game on Sunday.”