Hedman back in training at Celtic

The Celtic goalkeeper Magnus Hedman yesterday gave the Scottish champions a timely boost with his return to training after almost 12 weeks on the sidelines with a calf strain.

The Swedish international, who has played just twice since his £1.5m move from Coventry in August, said: "It was my first day in almost three months being back at training today which is a long time to be out.

"It was great to be back with the rest of the squad and with the ball instead of working in the gym. So far I feel fine, but it's things like my sharpness and positioning I need to work on.

"I'm still a little cautious because I irritated the injury a couple of times. Fitness wise I have no problems whatsoever, in fact I'm probably fitter now than what I was when I first arrived at the club, but it's my goalkeeping job that I need to work on now. I'll maybe play a few Under-21 games but we have to wait and see what happens and make sure there's no reaction."

The Celtic manager Martin O'Neill will be allowed to stand in the dug-out for the Uefa Cup third-round, second-leg at Celta Vigo tomorrow. European football's governing body, Uefa, has agreed to hear O'Neill's appeal early next year against a two-game ban after his dismissal in the first leg at Parkhead. The decision means his punishment will be suspended until the appeal is heard, leaving him free to stand on the touchline in Spain.

Celtic have also been boosted by the news that the Celta striker Alexander Mostovoi is a major doubt for tomorrow's game. Celta lost 1-0 to Celtic in the first leg and the Spanish side's coach Miguel Angel Lotina has admitted that Mostovoi is struggling to overcome an Achilles problem.

"He is not 100 per-cent fit and I don't think it is a good idea for him to play under those circumstances, because there is a lot at stake in this game," Lotina said yesterday. "We will give him a final test, but I am not optimistic, because, even if he doesn't feel any pain, he hasn't done anything for the last 12 days."

Lotina has already lost the striker Catanha through suspension and the South African Benedict McCarthy is on standby to link up with the Brazilian Edu in attack.