MARTIN O’NEILL admits he is not surprised by the furore over Celtic’s penalty-kick winner in the 3-2 stoppage-time success over Motherwell in midweek.
The Hoops boss is convinced no-one outside the club wants the champions to win the title.
As he prepared his players for the championship decider against Hearts at Parkhead tomorrow afternoon, O’Neill admitted candidly: “Am I surprised? No, I’m not surprised because everybody wants Hearts to win.
“Everybody outside Celtic and the Celtic diaspora wants Hearts to win. If it wasn’t Hearts, it would be Rangers or somebody else.
“That’s the nature of it.”
Rival boss Derek McInnes has already labelled the penalty-kick award as “disgusting” after viewing Well’s Sam Nicholson’s mid-air challenge on Auston Trusty in the fading at Fir Park.
UP, UP AND AWAY…Motherwell defender Sam Nicholson clearly uses a hand to clear from Auston Trusty in the penalty-kick flashpoint in Celtic’s 3-2 win at Fir Park.
Referee John Beaton was instructed by Andrew Dallas to review the situation with the potential award of a spot-kick after handball by the home side’s defender.
The match official made the decision inside 20 seconds after viewing the flashpoint on the touchline monitor. He returned to the pitch, pointed to the spot and Kelechi Iheanacho swept in the goal that left Scotland’s title kings just one point behind the Edinburgh club.
Since Beaton’s decision, there have been heated arguments over the validity of the award and different angles of footage have been shared. Naturally, those of a Celtic persuasion are adamant it proves the decision correct, while others say it shows the opposite.
The 74-year-old interim Hoops boss, speaking to Celtic TV, continued: “It’s obviously been magnified because of the occasion as much as anything else. I think it’s a penalty. I think he’s handled the ball.
“He’s also got his arm around his neck, as well, but that’s beside the point.
MAKING A POINT…referee John Beaton is in no doubt as he awards Celtic a late penalty-kick.
“When you see it again properly, it is a penalty. In the wider scheme of things, everybody should be looking at this throughout Europe.
“We’ve seen penalties given when we all think that would never have happened years ago.”
O’Neill added: “It looks very harsh. This should be a major point of discussion in the summertime to have a look again to see what they’re doing. Sometimes in European football, it’s a bit different to ours.
“It shouldn’t be, it should be uniform and straightforward.
“This accidental handball, hands in unnatural positions, people being pushed into situations – all of that has to be looked at.
“But as the rules stand at this minute, that was a penalty.”
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