Martin O’Neill has said Danny Rohl “hasn’t been in Glasgow long” and that it is “extraordinary” that the German questioned which keeper will start in Sunday’s crucial Old Firm derby.
Rangers face Celtic on Sunday in the first of two derby fixtures in the space of seven days, with the sides sitting second and third in the table behind Hearts.
The spat arose after Luke McCown claimed that “no team in the league touches us” after Celtic’s one-nil victory at Stuttgart, the second leg after a 4-1 defeat at home.
Danny Rohl responded by pointing out that Celtic have been beaten seven times in the Scottish Premiership this season, including defeats to Rangers, Hearts, Hibs, and Dundee United.
The German then admitted he was “surprised” that Celtic didn’t go for it more, and said it was “interesting” to see what happens next with the goalkeeping situation after Kasper Schmeichel was dropped for Viljami Sinisalo in Thursday’s Europa League clash.
O’Neill, who defended Schmeichel after the goalkeeper was booed by his own fans during the defeat by Stuttgart last week, hit back at the comments, calling them “extraordinary”.
“So he’s picking our team, well done, old Danny, well done”, he said.
“He had a comment about our team, the picking of the team. Extraordinary. Absolutely extraordinary.
“Luke’s entitled to his comments, believe it or not.
“He hasn’t been in Glasgow long. He’s only been in for less than a year, himself. He’ll soon know all about it in the next four or five years.
“I must sit down and think, maybe he has a choice of some players, and maybe I can put my oar in there, you know, and find out what he’s doing.”
When questioned on Rohl’s comments that Celtic “didn’t try and win the game two or three-nil” against Stuttgart, O’Neill said he was “surprised”.
“He wants to be involved in some of these games”, he said.
“I never saw it like that. We were driven back because they are a very, very good team; they are in the top four in the Bundesliga.
“I’m surprised he’s made a comment like that.
“He possesses a very decent team over there, and it’s going to be tough for us to get a result, but we’re going to be fighting.”
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