Stam awaits Celtic onslaught

By Adrian Clarke

Jaap Stam has called on AC Milan's vast legion of fans to turn out in force for their UEFA Champions League Group F match against Celtic FC, as he expects thousands of Glaswegian supporters to descend upon the San Siro in a bid to inspire their team.

Scottish invasion
"I will never forget the amount of support they took to Seville for the UEFA Cup final, it was amazing," Stam told uefa.com. "That's why I'm certain that as many Celtic fans as possible will be trying to get tickets for the game in the San Siro. We need our own supporters to drown the Scottish voices."

Different proposition
On the pitch, Carlo Ancelotti's side began their latest quest for the Champions League in solid, if unspectacular, fashion, beating FC Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 courtesy of Dutch international Clarence Seedorf. In contrast, Celtic were beaten 3-1 at home by rejuvenated FC Barcelona in their opener. But, according to Stam, the Scottish champions will be a totally different proposition to the Ukrainians.

British style
"The style of football played by English and Scottish teams is still a bit different from the rest of Europe, and their mentality is also unique," he said. "But I have to admit that this is one game that I am really looking forward to because matches with British sides are always exciting to be part of, and they always generate a lot of passion. Martin O'Neill has made sure that his Celtic team gives 200 per cent in every game they play, so they'll be going for it when they visit us."

Settling in
The 32-year-old is getting is well accustomed to pressure at the San Siro after joining from S.S. Lazio in the summer. However, despite a shaky start in Serie A, there are no regrets. "I'm extremely happy here," he said. "Playing for Milan is everything I expected it to be and more. My form has been pleasing and I feel very comfortable playing alongside so many other great defenders, but I suppose that isn't hard when the rest of your team are all world class!"
 
Danger men
The summer departure of Henrik Larsson to Barcelona has undoubtedly weakened O'Neill's squad at Celtic Park, but his side continue to dominate Scottish football, currently lying five points clear of their old adversaries Rangers FC at the top of the Scottish Premier League. And Stam believes they will be just as dangerous as they have ever been, despite the loss of their talismanic striker.

No peace
"I know they have lost Henrik Larsson, but they still have Juninho, Chris Sutton, John Hartson and Alan Thompson, who are all dangerous attacking players," said Stam. "As a defender I know that I will have my hands full when Celtic come over here. In Hartson and Sutton they have a front two that will cause problems for any team in Europe. They are both a nuisance and work exceptionally hard throughout the 90 minutes for their team. I know already that they will not give me or any of our other defenders a moment's peace.

Phenomenal workrate
"Celtic's main trait is that they work incredibly hard for each other on the pitch. They are a great example of teamwork," he continued. "But I think a lot of people overlook the fact that Celtic have some very good players too. Here in Italy, Celtic are viewed with enormous respect. They are not seen as European minnows by any stretch of the imagination"
 
Jaap Stam's personal website is at www.icons.com