Ryan Stevenson really needs to give up the ghost defending his daft comments about Celtic boss Wilfried Nancy.
There has been a lot said about the Celtic manager’s tactics board, style of play and the two defeats Nancy has presided over to Hearts and Roma.
However, Ryan Stevenson decided that some of that criticism should also be aimed at Nancy’s Celtic attire as the Frenchman comes under intense pressure in his early tenure.
Chris Sutton slates Ryan Stevenson’s hit-piece on Wilfried Nancy
Those remarks were resoundingly criticised by Celtic hero Chris Sutton as the former striker called Stevenson’s comments and others he’s heard in the media about Nancy ‘ridiculous’.
And here, the former Hearts man has hit back at Sutton as Stevenson takes aim at the former Celtic striker once again.
Ryan Stevenson’s bizarre attack on Celtic boss Wilfried Nancy continues
As Celtic prepare to face St Mirren in the Premier Sports Cup, Stevenson has reignited his war of words with Sutton as he brands the outspoken pundit a ‘liar’ over what he said about Nancy’s choice of matchday clothing.
Stevenson told BBC Sportsound, “I’ve spoke about the green trainers. Rangers and Celtic are institutions.
“Russell Martin’s biggest mistake, and you might think I’m stupid saying it, was not wearing a suit and not wearing brown brogues.
“To start off with, that was his biggest mistake. It just tumbled on.
“I’ve been in dressing rooms with big personalities and big players but I’ve never had the opportunity to be in a Celtic changing room.
“But I can just imagine sitting in the Celtic changing room with all the heritage and history and size of the club and the fan base, and then my manager walks in with a set of green Sambas on?
“As soon as he walked in, I can guarantee you, can you imagine a manager walking into a dressing room of Chris Sutton, Henrik Larsson, Neil Lennon, Stan Petrov? He would have walked out and the boys would have been like ‘What is this?’
“Chris Sutton is a liar (for suggesting it wouldn’t have bothered him).”
Is Ryan Stevenson still fuming about being put in his place by Celtic icon Pat Bonner?
We told last week how Stevenson flip-flopped on his criticism of Nancy after another Celtic hero Pat Bonner, made the ex-Hearts man backtrack on his daft post-match comments after the Hearts defeat.
The conversation went a like this: Stevenson, “Listen lads, I hate all this. I’m not asking them to come out and single out any one of the players. You have to call it as you see it.
“Listen lads, I hate all this. I’m not asking them to come out and single out any one of the players. You have to call it as you see it.”
Bonner replied, “But we don’t know what he said though, Ryan, in the dressing room. What you say to players and what you say out here to the public can be very different.”
Stevenson: “I suppose it can be different.”
Bonner: “He’s got to try to pick his words to have something positive out of this game, which is very little, to be perfectly honest.
“I wouldn’t read too much into what he said in this first interview.
Stevenson: “Yeah, I get it. I’m just looking at it from a Celtic point of view.”
Bonner: “No, you’re right. I’m looking at it from a Celtic point of view also, but he’s got to be allowed a little bit of time to get to know the players.
Snooker legend John Higgins shares his thoughts on Celtic winning the league with Wilfried Nancy? What you think? Let us know in the comments.
“Even Martin [the BBC reporter] asking the questions, he’s got to work it out in his head. He’s from France, remember also.
“So I wouldn’t be too critical of that interview. I want to hear and see what he’s going to do with the players. That’s the critical factor.
“The big talking point today is the change of system.”
It seems that Stevenson is simply not letting this go when the best thing the pundit should really do is admit he made a mistake with his criticism and move on.
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