Neil Lennon, the Celtic manager, has criticised David Goodwillie, the Dundee United striker, for saying he hoped Rangers win the league this season.
Goodwillie let slip his preference as he was collecting his award as PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year at a dinner in Glasgow last Sunday, but the 22-year-old subsequently tried to explain that he wanted Rangers to be champions only because it would mean United qualified for next season’s Europa League.
If Celtic win the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, United could qualify for Europe only by turning around an eight-point deficit and finishing third ahead of Hearts.
Lennon said he understood Goodwillie’s remark but insisted he should have said nothing on the subject. The Celtic manager also claimed he would watch the performances of United, Hearts and Kilmarnock against Rangers “with interest” to see if they matched the commitment and energy Caledonian Thistle showed when beating his own team in midweek.
“You heard Goodwillie’s comments last week at the player of the year dinner and I know what he meant, but it tells a story. But I’d like to think Dundee United will be as professional as they can be and put on a game. I don’t think he needs to say it, does he? I don’t think he needs to make that public. He has basically put that out there now and it will cast a lot of aspersions.
“I’d like to think Rangers’ opponents will play at the same ferocity and tempo that Caledonian Thistle did. I don’t think it is too much to ask.”
It was a “nonsense” that the SPL split meant United were looking for favours from Rangers while having to play against them, he said. “Let’s get back to a normal 38-game season. I’m not concerned [that teams might not try hard against Rangers] but I’d like to think there’s the same professional pride as Inverness showed the other night. I will be watching the games with interest, put it that way.”
When pressed to explain why he would need to do so, he replied: “Well, Dundee United want Rangers to win the league by all accounts . . .”
Lennon claimed to be still optimistic about the run-in despite the fact Rangers will be champions if they win their remaining games against Hearts today, Dundee United on Tuesday and Kilmarnock a week tomorrow.
Celtic’s midweek defeat in Inverness left them one point behind. They face Kilmarnock tomorrow before Hearts and then Motherwell.
“We hope there’s still another bit to write in this chapter of the season and we hope someone else emerges like [Caley Thistle goalscorer] Shane Sutherland the other night.
“Listen, I’m not going to cast aspersions about Dundee United. I’ve no doubts Peter Houston will take his team there to win the game. He’s too professional, but I think it was an ill-timed comment [for Goodwillie] to make at this stage of the season. I’m sure the kid will learn from that.”
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