Ronny Deila says Derek McInnes is ‘stupid’ to dispute truth

Dundee boss Paul Hartley has accused Celtic assistant manager John Collins of showing disrespect to their Scottish Premiership rivals. “If you become open and detached from each other against good players and good teams, you’ll be punished”.

The former Celts midfielder remarked – in quotes published by the Daily Record – that players in the SPL were not “quick or clever enough” to punish his Celtic team and are therefore unable to serve as good preparation for European opponents.

But Deila has called for a reality check claiming Collins was merely stating a fact that continental teams are generally of a higher standard than those in the SPFL. “It’s unfair on the rest of the clubs in Scotland”, he said. That’s a very, very obvious thing. That’s not only in Scotland but in Norway and Sweden or wherever. But it is not being disrespectful to other teams.

“John knows what football is and what quality is and what’s best for Scottish football”.

And the Norwegian claimed they would all agree if they spoke to each other face to face without their words being “twisted”.

Deila, however, said the way in which Collins’s remarks had been reported had created controversy where none ought to have existed. I haven’t actually heard him [Collins] say it so I am not sure if he has been misquoted. It’s not a big thing. I also saw in the newspaper that they feel they got tested harder.

“It’s something that doesn’t happen to us in Scotland”.

“It is much tougher to play in the Champions League than domestically and that is something I support”. We try our best. The Hoops strolled to a league and cup double last season and it’s only ever a lack of application or concentration that prevents a treble returning to Parkhead each year.

“If they’re doing that and playing in the Champions League, that will be key and they’ll be knocking on the door”.

“They have already taken three players from the Scottish Premiership”. The level in teams is better in the Champions League.

Partick Thistle forward Ryan Stevenson says he can not help taking personally the comments made by John Collins about Celtic’s domestic opponents. Aberdeen pushed us a long way last season and we only won the league in May.

“It’s maybe a bit different away from home when clubs look to test them a bit more at tighter grounds like Ross County and Motherwell”.