UNWORTHY!
Rodgers hits out at conduct of McGhee in bust-up
CELTIC manager Brendan Rodgers has branded the behaviour of Motherwell boss Mark McGhee as unworthy of a Scotland No 2, following a bitter bust-up at the end of the Parkhead side’s last-gasp 4-3 win at Fir Park.
Rodgers’ right-hand man Chris Davies became involved in a row with the home technical area following Tom Rogic’s late winner, being intercepted by a steward at one point, with McGhee branding his conduct not of ‘Celtic quality’ and claiming he didn’t even know his name.
However, Rodgers reacted angrily to the put-down, defending his staff and criticising McGhee for interrupting his team’s shooting practice pre-match and telling them to move elsewhere on the pitch.
‘I think that’s very unfair, especially when he comes into our warm-up before the game,’ said Rodgers of McGhee’s post-match remarks.
‘As the opposition manager and assistant manager of his country, he comes up and is asking our players to warm up in a different area. I don’t think that’s befitting of the assistant manager of a national team and the manager of Motherwell.
‘My staff are exemplary in their behaviour. We know what we’re representing here. We’ll always be honest. We have integrity.
‘My staff represent this club and have done since the day they walked in here. I think Mark’s is a completely unfair representation of them.’
Rodgers admitted the pre-match incident may have been responsible for the scenes at time-up. ‘It could well be — he (McGhee) shouldn’t be doing that,’ said the Celtic boss.
‘I said congratulations to the groundsman before the game because the pitch is very good, but why can’t we do the warm-up we do all across the world here at Motherwell? I don’t know what the issue was and maybe that’s what sparked it.
‘We were just practising shooting, but, anyway, that isn’t the story of the game. The story of the game is that my team were brilliant second half.’
McGhee insists he has no issues with Rodgers over the incident, but felt the tension at the final whistle unnecessary.
‘We had no problem with Brendan, but I think some of the staff weren’t really Celtic quality in terms of their behaviour,’ said McGhee.
‘I don’t know his name. You’re telling me his name, so I think that says it all. He seemed to be angry, for some reason, that they’d won, so explain that to me.
‘He wasn’t shaking hands with me, but nothing had gone on in the game.’
Matchwinner Rogic insisted Celtic’s fightback from 2-0 down at the interval showed why they are streets ahead at the top of the Premiership.
‘We showed we can come back from adversity, which is a pretty big statement,’ said the Australian midfielder. ‘It’s a day to remember. We’re champions for a reason.’
Erik Sviatchenko and Leigh Griffiths missed out through illness, but Rodgers is optimistic they will be available for Tuesday’s Champions League visit to Manchester City.