BETFRED CUP
MacLean: It was just a wee wind-up
BY MICHAEL GANNON STEVEN MacLEAN insists it’s nuts to suggest he was out of order grabbing hold of Eboue Kouassi’s privates.
The Hearts hitman was caught on camera doing a repeat of the famous Gazza pic with Vinnie Jones.
The Ivory Coast midfielder rolled around in agony but MacLean was adamant it was just a little joke.
He said: “It was just a laugh, a wee wind-up. Jeez, if I went down every time a centre-half did that to me I’d be on my backside all day.
“It was a laugh, one of them. If you think about how many times a centrehalf has a dunt on me, I’d be on my a*** all game if I reacted. No doubt they will try to play it up but it was nothing.”
Kouassi later went off with a knee injury and Brendan Rodgers said he hadn’t seen the grab by MacLean, who also said he hoped Celtic would be “pumped” by RB Leipzig before they headed for Murrayfield.
But the Celtic boss added: “He does some strange things Steven MacLean and says some daft things as well.”
MacLean shrugged off the hand ball incident but admitted the defeat by Celts felt like a boot in the delicates.
The Jambos matched the Hoops in the first half but fell to bits after the break with keeper Zdenek Zlamal fall guy for the second goal.
MacLean said: “He made some outstanding saves and has been brilliant for us this season. He’s a top goalie. I’m sure he’ll be brilliant again.
“It was a good first-half for us but once they scored from the penalty the game changed.
“We lost our shape and probably got caught by us trying to have a go and they picked us off.”
MacLean admitted Hearts can’t afford to be down in the dumps with Hibs on Wednesday and then another Celtic clash at Parkhead on Saturday.
He added: “We have two big games. Roll on Wednesday night. It’s a derby and let’s go and turn them over.”