Football Daily | Celtic, the old man' and a possible pitch invasion hat-trick

Celtic’s manager praised his players, staff, and the unexpected global attention created by Hearts’ close title challenge. He joked with the show hosts about his early days in interim charge and about players in the dressing room. When asked about a pitch invasion after Celtic’s third goal, he rejected claims that it reflected a lack of class. He said the game was essentially over once the third goal was scored, and that the referee had blown the final whistle, followed by excitement from fans entering the field to celebrate winning the league. He questioned reports of confrontations involving Hearts players and noted uncertainty about what actually happened.

"I totally disagree with that, bristled O'Neill, who had perhaps been entertaining the forlorn hope the subject might not be raised. I don't know about the confrontations in terms of the Hearts players, let's find out the real picture. The fact is that when we scored the third goal, the game was essentially over. The referee has claimed he has blown the final whistle and then there's obvious excitement. It's a home game and we've just won the league and the fans have come on to the field."

"It's not often a game of fitba completely overshadows the FA Cup final but Saturday's denouement at Celtic Park was the rare exception. O'Neill could scarcely have been more complimentary about his players, his staff and the unprecedented levels of global interest generated in the Scottish Premiership by a completely unexpected Hearts title challenge that came up agonisingly short."

"For 12 minutes O'Neill traded good-natured barbs with White and Sidekick Simon Jordan while joking about the two Japanese lads in the dressing-room openly wondering who is this old man? on his first day in interim charge. It was only when the trumpeting of the giant elephant in the studio klaxon reached an ear-splitting crescendo that White asked his special guest about the pitch invasion that greeted Celtic's third goal."

"Evidence that the final whistle was actually blown is as scarce as proof of claims that several Hearts players were physically assaulted before quickly being escorted from the field. It is also worth noting that O'Neill's apparent, possibly feigned indifference to the over-exuberance of several hundred fans who took great glee in goading their vanquished visitors was not shared by the"

Read at www.theguardian.com