ROUGH TELLS CRAIG CELTIC GAFFE WON'T PUT OFF HIS SUITORS

ALAN ROUGH insists Craig Gordon's Parkhead horror show won't frighten off interest from Premiership giants.

The Hearts and Scotland No.1 dropped a last-minute clanger to hand Celtic all three points at Parkhead last Saturday.

That would not looked good to any interested parties with Arsenal and Manchester United having sent scouts to watch him in action this season.

But former Scotland star Rough believes it's only a matter of time before England's big guns come knocking. He said: "There's nobody challenging him in Scotland at the moment and I don't think anybody could move him from the international side just now.

"Despite what happened at the weekend he's been playing really well and it's only a matter of time before a big club down south comes to take him away.

"He's on of the best goalkeepers around at the moment. He's agile, he's got the right temperament and can only get better.

"He is on a long contract at Hearts and they'll be hoping he can stay. It will be interesting when the big clubs come calling very soon."

Rough, speaking in Glasgow to promote his new book "The Rough and the Smooth", is also backing the youngster to make arch rivals Hibs pay for his Celtic Park mishap in tomorrow night's CIS Cup quarter-final.

He said: "Craig couldn't ask for a better game after what's happened against Celtic.

"The mark of all good goalkeepers is how you redeem yourself after making a mistake.

"I'm sure on the night against Hibs he will do something wonderful to win the game."

Rough insists the weekend mistake is a one-off.

He said: "That's just a blip - you tell me a goalkeeper who has never had a blip.

We've all had embarrassing moments that will haunt us for the rest of our lives but I'm sure Craig is big enough to get over this quickly.

"He is too good a keeper to let this worry him.

"It doesn't matter who you are - you're always going to make mistakes. It's just how you react after it and I'm sure you will see the usual Craig Gordon from now on."

Rough reckons the Edinburgh derby is the best in Scotland. He said: "Hibs have home advantage and the players are still trying to impress manager John Collins.

"Both teams play some great football and it will be a great night.

"You know you're going to get goals and excitement which is the best up here.

"Obviously with Celtic and Rangers there's a lot of other stuff that goes on to take a bit away from the game but the Hibs and Hearts games have been super. Being a cup game also adds a wee bit of spice to it. "

Rough is backing former team-mate Collins to be a roaring success with Hibs.

He said: "John has never been a failure at any club and I don't see why he won't be a big hit at Hibs.

"Even when he was young he had something special that nobody else had - the desire to be the best."

Taken from the Daily Record