KETTLEWELL: BEWARE WOUNDED CELTS
KILMARNOCK manager Stuart Kettlewell has warned his players to prepare for a backlash from Celtic today after their painful Europa League defeat.
Midtjylland beat the Hoops 3-1 on Thursday and Kettlewell knows Martin O’Neill’s charges will be looking for a reaction at Celtic Park.
And Ketts insists Killie, who have lost four on the bounce, need to stand up to that challenge if they are to end their four-game losing streak. He said: “I’ll always be clear of my full respect for what Celtic have done over a long period of time with their levels and success.
“When they lose a game of football, we all understand that it becomes a huge drama and everyone is dissecting why.
“I don’t think that they’re vulnerable, I think they’ve got exceptional, international footballers for our level. They’ve got really high value in the market and they’ve got guys who have been over the course and distance in being successful by winning trophies.
“When the chips are down, that’s generally when these guys fight back. So we have to be prepared for that.”
Ketts enjoyed listening to Martin O’Neill on his media stints before he came back to the dugout as interim Celtic boss and sees the 73-year-old as a fountain of knowledge on the game.
He said: “I’ve not had any dealings with Martin before. We all listen to various radio shows and he has always been someone I’ve had lots of respect for.
“He captures an audience. I’ve heard a lot of references to his age since coming back but I think that’s a bit unfair.
“You can see the enthusiasm and vast knowledge he has of the game.”