Ajeti rubbishes ‘dive’ claims as he is cleared by SFA

Celtic striker Albian Ajeti insists he is no diver after being cleared of a simulation charge earlier this week.

The Switzerland international was accused of causing referee Kevin Clancy to wrongly award the Hoops a spot-kick during their 4-0 Scottish Premiership victory at Rugby Park last week and potentially faced a twomatch ban.

Ajeti tumbled to the ground inside the penalty area early in the second half when Kilmarnock goalkeeper Colin Doyle came out to challenge him.

Hoops boss Neil Lennon vigorously defended his player amidst debate on the incident and the charge of simulation was found “not proved” during a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday.

Ajeti, 23, was a “bit surprised” to be cited in the first instance and in a Zoom press conference refuted any suggestions that he is a diver.

He said: “There are many things that footballers hear about which is not true. But this is part of football, part of our profession. We have to accept it.

“They can call us whatever they want because we know what is going on, on the pitch. If they want to call me that, they can call me that but it isn’t true.

“People who know my kind of football know that I like the body contact.

“I am quite an aggressive player so I don’t think I am a proper diver because I like the body contact and my football is a bit harder than just to dive for a little contact.

“I didn’t know about the process and how it works but now I know.

“I am happy they took the right decision and I am happy I didn’t get a ban for that.”

Celtic’s convincing 4-0 victory at St Mirren on Wednesday night meant the Hoops have won three games in a row for the first time this year to sit 18 points behind league leaders Rangers with a game in hand, as they prepare to face St Johnstone in Perth on Sunday.

Ajeti, who has teamed up

with Odsonne Edouard in the last three matches, insists renewed team spirit has underpinned the return to form.

He said: “It is going good for us, we are winning games and playing good football.

“I am always happy when I can play and even more happy when we succeed as a team, this is the most important thing for me.

“We are in good form right now and we are going to build on that and push forward.

“I think we stick together more than ever.

“We know we have the quality, we found a very good team spirit and we want to build on that.”

Lennon meanwhile hailed his “brilliant” side following the win at New St Mirren Park.

The Northern Irishman said: “We were brilliant. I wasn’t over-enamoured with the first half, I thought we gave the ball away under no real pressure.

“I had a word with them at half-time and in the second half it was just brilliant, I just really enjoyed it. We were magnificent.

“We looked like we were last year, rampant, full of running, full of goals, full of quality.

The one negative for the visitors came in the second half when defender Stephen Welsh was taken off on a stretcher after a challenge by Saints striker Jon Obika.

Albian Ajeti escaped a two-match suspension.