Hoops Stars Fighting Fit

No news most certainly represented good news for Martin O・Neill today as his contingent of internationalists began to return from their exertions abroad. Indeed, while there was much touching of wood going on in the Celtic treatment room this morning, a clean bill of health for the club・s international stars would leave the Hoops boss with more than a few pleasant selection headaches.

One of the questions which O・Neill will soon face is over when, and at who・s expense, Johan Mjallby should be brought back into the first team fold. The Swedish skipper is scheduled to have a final review with his surgeon on Monday, but this is expected to be a mere formality ahead of him beginning his first week of full training.

Celtic・s medical staff are anxious to stress that these initial steps will be viewed, and assessed, merely as another stage in Mjallby・s rehabilitation. Nevertheless, all being well, the big defender is expected to appear for the under-21s in the near future, with a return to the senior side hopefully following soon after.

And there was also good news for another Swede on the road to recovery. Magnus Hedman, in fact, could return to training alongside his fellow countryman next week should he continue to progress well in his rehab work.

Having seen the former Coventry keeper break down in a previous comeback attempt, the club・s medical team have been stressing caution, preventing Hedman from making another hasty return. However, a repeat scan for the Swede showed that everything is progressing as it should, and hopes are high that he should be back working with Terry Gennoe and the other goalkeepers sooner rather than later.