FORMER Celtic midfielder Gary Holt has hit back at Alex McLeish who yesterday pointed the finger at the Livingston plastic pitch as the reason why Celtic defender Keiran Tierney had to withdraw from the Scotland squad for the crucial games against Albania this evening and Israel on Tuesday night.
Scotland need to win both games but have been dogged by a horrendous run of injuries, call-offs, drop outs and failed fitness tests, with KT being the most recent.
McLeish didn’t mince his words yesterday when mentioning the Livi astro-turf as a possible reason why Tierney, despite his best efforts, could not get himself fit enough to play. Read what the Scotland manager had to say HERE.
Livingston manager Holt though was having none of that and instead blamed the Tierney problem on the intense workload The Celtic players are having to endure with the involvement in the Europa League adding to their domestic schedule.
“It’s been well documented the conversations about plastic pitches, but I was at the game and he played 90 minutes,” he said to Sky Sports News.
“I think he played 90 minutes on Thursday against RB Leipzig. I think all the other boys that played would have been stiff after the game considering the amount they have played.
“Lets be honest, I think people blame Brexit on Livi’s pitch these days. It’s an excuse that is what it is, people looking for excuses as usual.
“The boy is tight, he has played in a lot of games. maybe that is the reason for it. You cannot turn around and blame someone’s pitch, that’s just somebody making an excuse.
“It obviously just makes it easier for him because he doesn’t have the headache of who he plays, Andy Robertson or Tierney.
“I don’t think Kieran has used it as an excuse, Kieran is tight in his hammy.
“In fact that happens, if you ask our players after they play midweek then play on a Saturday or Sunday, no matter what pitch you are on, you are tight.
“You just have to deal with it, but with someone in a position like Alex to come out and say ‘our pitch is to blame’, I didn’t realise he was a qualified doctor or physio that can make these assumptions.
“It is pretty poor rather than concentrating on playing football.”
Also on The Celtic Star today…
‘A great year for Celtic and their long suffering supporters,’ David Potter…See HERE.
When Steven Gerrard said ‘Celtic, that’s my team, that’s who I support!’…See HERE.
Brilliant video from the Green Brigade Food Drive 2018…See HERE.
Oh Hampden in the rain…the end of an eight-year hoodoo – Celtic’s season 1982/83 (Part 2)…See HERE.
Astroturf pitches? “The Celtic guys came with a bit of tightness,” Scotland boss…See HERE.
Jim Craig – Six goals for Dixie Deans as Jimmy McGrory watched…See HERE.
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