Celtic boss takes aim at 'nonsense' Hearts claim and levels Rangers comparison amid fierce defence of fans
The Celtic boss has been left frustrated by criticism of his supporters.
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has defended fans who opted to invade the pitch in the aftermath of their title winning victory over Hearts at the weekend, labelling criticism of the full-time scenes as “nonsense.”
O’Neill, 74, saw his side snatch the title out of the grasp of the Tynecastle outfit on the final day as late goals from Daizen Maeda and substitute Callum Osmand sealed a 3-1 win.
However, their clinching third goal resulted in hundreds of Celtic supporters spilling onto the pitch to start their title celebrations early, with some opting to confront opposition captain Lawrence Shankland and his teammates.
There were also claims that the full-time whistle was blown prematurely by referee Don Robertson in order to avoid further on-pitch confrontation between home supporters and the Hearts squad, and manager O’Neill spoke to TalkSport Radio host Jim White this morning in order to address the post-game flash points.
Asked by the host if the pitch invasion showed “a lack of class” and had “tainted” the club’s imagine, O’Neill blasted: “I'm sorry, I totally disagree with that. I don't know about the confrontations in terms of the Hearts players, and there's a lot of hyperbole about that, let's find out the real picture.
"The fact is that when we scored the third goal, the game was essentially over, there were about eight seconds left, or whatever the case may be. The referee has claimed that he had blown the final whistle at the end. And then there's obvious excitement, we have scored to win the league.”
White went on to say: “They shouldn't have come on the pitch, Martin, should they?", to which the Celtic boss replied: “Well, start telling that to every single football club.” As the debate ensued, O’Neill said that he “didn’t believe” in Hearts’ claim that the pitch invasion was an embarrassment, calling the notion “nonsense”, adding: “I assumed that the final whistle had gone at exactly the same moment that we put the ball in the net for the third goal. It's a home game and we'd just won the league, and the fans have come onto the field, alright? Okay, so they should stay put then?
“Was there not a scene at Ibrox where both sets of fans came onto the pitch? Let me have a look at the picture, let me have a look as if I'm the judge and jury of these particular things. Let me see the scene at the end of the day, and then I'll come back to you, okay?" Asked if he’d spoke to Hearts head coach McInnes since the end of the clash, the 74-year-old said: “No. We've shaken hands and I have given him praise, which he has deserved.”
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