Big Interview Jonathan Gould

“Lennon better make sure the bonuses are all sorted!”

Fifteen years have passed since Celtic entered the Champions League for the first time.

As was the case in the Parkhead club’s original sortie into the competition, Neil Lennon’s side will cross the Irish Sea in their quest for a place in the group stages.

But former Hoops goalkeeper Jonathan Gould doesn’t envisage the current crop of players having the same distractions as his team-mates as they begin their European campaign against Northern Ireland’s Cliftonville on Wednesday.

Having successfully won the SPL title to prevent Rangers from extending their nine-in-a-row exertions in 1998, Celtic were engulfed in off-the-field problems ahead of their Champions League debut against St Patrick’s Athletic.

Manager Wim Jansen left the club after falling out with owner Fergus McCann and General Manager Jock Brown.

He was replaced by Dr Jozef Venglos but the problems didn’t end there.

Gould recalls: “We’d gone from an unbelievable high of winning the League for the first time in 10 years to off-the-field problems.

“There was a row going on between the players and Jock Brown at the time over European bonus money.

“If memory serves me correctly, we were just looking for something on a par with what our neighbours across the city were receiving for playing in Europe.

“Fergus McCann being Fergus McCann, he wasn’t for budging, and in a way it overshadowed our European campaign that season. I don’t believe it ever got properly resolved before we went out.

“We managed to progress beyond St Pat’s after they’d held us to a goal-less draw at Celtic Park but after beating Dynamo Zagreb 1-0 at home, we lost 3-0 away and were eliminated from the competition.

“Because of that, I know we weren’t so popular with the supporters at the time.

“Looking back, both sides could have handled the bonus situation better. It was a shame, actually, because we’d just won the League and I don’t need to highlight just how important it was to the Celtic fans that we’d prevented Rangers winning their tenth title on the trot.

“It would have been fantastic to actually reach the Champions League group stage. It wasn’t too long before that happened, though, after Martin O’Neill came in. Then Gordon Strachan became the first manager to reach the last 16.

“And, of course, Neil Lennon managed that again last season. So, when you compare the differences in finances compared to a lot of the other clubs in the tournament, Celtic have performed really well at that level.”

Gould knows his former club has come a long way over the last 15 years when it comes to playing Champions League football.

And he believes they have the ideal man at the helm to make sure that continues to be the case.

“I watched the Champions League games last season and it was a great effort from Lenny and all of his players,” says Gould. “They’ll be desperately hoping to get back into the group stage again this season.

“I’d imagine they will overcome Cliftonville without too many problems, although after what we experienced with St Pat’s, you have to treat every team with respect.

“Hopefully the draw will be kind thereafter. It can sometimes come down to luck but there are so many good sides in Europe.

“Beating Barcelona last season was incredible.

“If Lenny can continue to build this team over the next two or three years I don’t see why they can’t continue to impress in the Champions League.”

Gould is now a goalkeeping coach for New Zealand side Wellington Phoenix, but doesn’t have any problems keeping up to date with his former colleagues’ fortunes.

“It’s great to see so many of my old team-mates moving into management and doing extremely well into the bargain,” he continues.

“Paul Lambert is doing a terrific job with a really young team at Aston Villa, and some of the football they play is great to watch.

“Malky Mackay has just taken Cardiff City into the Barclays Premier League, which is a terrific achievement.

“And in Scotland you have Lenny leading Celtic to victory over Barcelona, and Jackie McNamara taking over at Dundee United after doing so well with Partick.

“I fancy United to finish second in the League behind Celtic this season because of Jackie.

“I still keep in touch with a lot of the guys, and Facebook is a wonderful thing in allowing me to keep in touch from the other side of the world.

“For example, I’d never have known Bobby Petta was working as a fitness instructor had it not been for Facebook.

“Who’d have imagined that? He wasn’t exactly known for running himself into the ground in training when we played together!”

Gould worked beside former Rangers rival Ian Ferguson when he assisted him at Australian outfit Perth Glory, and the former Scotland internationalist now finds himself working under another Scot.

“We changed coach again in the summer and the new coach is Ernie Merrick, who comes from Shettleston in Glasgow,” Jonathan reveals.

“He has worked in Australia and Hong Kong and has a terrific record in this part of the world.

“It was extremely enjoyable working beside Fergie but I’m loving my role here.

“I’m a long way from Scotland, but I still keep in touch with what is happening back there on the Internet and satellite TV.

“No doubt I’ll find myself watching the Celtic European matches somehow, and hopefully they manage to get through the qualifying rounds and into the group stage.

“I hope Lenny looks after the boys and there aren’t any problems with their bonus money!”