The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Celtic boss’ s best team comment labelled joke
Rangers defender Borna Barisic has branded John Kennedy’s claims that Celtic are still the best team in Scotland a “joke”.
The Celtic caretaker boss has drawn scorn from the blue half of Glasgow ahead of tomorrow’s Scottish Cup clash by insisting the Hoops remain top dogs, but has insisted his comments were “twisted”.
But now Barisic and boss Steven Gerrard have bitten back, with the Croatia international even dubbing Kennedy’s words disrespectful to the newlycrowned Ibrox champions, who remain unbeaten on league duty with just four games remaining.
“I didn’t hear the comments but I read the interview beforehand and I think that is the biggest joke I heard this year,” said Barisic.
“They didn’t win against us in three games and we are 20 points in front of them, so it is disrespectful a little bit to us. That’s my comment on that.
“You need to be in life always realistic. If someone is better and if someone is 20 points in front of you, you just don’t talk like that.
“It is disrespectful for all the things we do this season. It is not only from him (Kennedy). I know a lot of people talking about Celtic’s situation with Covid and all of these things.
“It’s like we’ve lost five games or we are just five points in front of them.
“We are 20 points clear in front of them, we didn’t lose a game this year.
“It is disrespectful to talk about anyone and changes.
“I am talking about this season. That’s it.”
Gerrard has also stoked the fires ahead of tomorrow’s last-16 showdown at Ibrox.
He said: “I don’t really focus on anyone outside Rangers in terms of their opinions. I just focus on what’s happening inside here.
“On the 15th of May we’ll lift our 55th title as a club and I’ll be one of the proudest men on the planet.
“Where that sits right now, we’re 20 points clear with four games to play with the chance to go unbeaten.
“So I don’t need to listen to anyone outside Rangers to get a view on that.
“I know the reality and the truth.”
Kennedy insists he has shown Rangers “full respect” and yesterday moved to bring some clarity to his opinion.
“My take on it is, people make a story and a headline out of taking the comment out of context,” said the former Celtic defender, who confirmed Polish striker Patryk Klimala is set to join New York Red Bulls.
“I was referring to us going into a cup game and on our day we can still be the best-performing team in the country because we have that level in us. “That is purely what it is. “Several times in the last few weeks I have commented on Rangers thoroughly deserving to win the league because they have been the most consistent team, they have racked up the most points, so I have shown full respect to Rangers for what they have done.
“I am entitled to say that on any given day, especially going in to a cup tie against Rangers, I fancy us on our day to come out on top.
“People sometimes take a small part of that statement and twist it and turn it into what they want to suit their argument and that is careless for me.
“To bring a bit of clarity to that, Rangers deserved to be the champions this season because they have been more consistent than us, but come a cup game, if we hit top gear and we can perform well, I fancy us to be able to go and win the game.”
Klimala has been no more than a bit-part player at Celtic since signing from Jagiellonia Bialystok in January 2020 for a reported fee of £3.5 million.
Kennedy said: “Patryk is close to finalising a deal to go there.
“It is an opportunity that came up for him and for both parties it was a good deal.”
Kennedy also revealed James Forrest was still racing against time to be fit for tomorrow.
The Scotland winger has recently returned from a lengthy spell on the sidelines following ankle surgery.
In his first Premiership start since September, he scored against Livingston at Parkhead last Saturday with his second goal in two games, but came off just before the hour mark in the 6-0 win with a back and hamstring niggle.
Kennedy said: “He has come on reasonably well in the week.”