The reaction to Celtic winning the Premiership title this season is like nothing you have seen before.
Whether it’s the Hearts players, their manager Derek McInnes, Rangers, or the media and pundits in England, it caused outrage like no other.
Even though Martin O’Neill won the double for Celtic, it was McInnes who was named Manager of the Year at a recent awards ceremony.
Gordon Dalziel was present at the awards, and he was asked if McInnes mentioned Celtic’s win over Hearts on the final day, because he didn’t speak to the media after the match.
The Open Goal pundit shared that the Hearts manager’s ‘speech was good’, but just as he walked off, he shouted, ‘f__k VAR.’
Paul Slane: “Has he spoken yet, Del (McInnes)?”
Andy Halliday: “Just at the writer’s award. When he accepted his award.”
Dalziel: “Were you there that night?”
Halliday: “No.”
Dalziel: “I was there. I thought his speech was good.”
Halliday: “Was it good, aye? Did he mention the game at all?”
Dalziel: “He never elaborated on it. Then he just went right at the end as he was walking off, ‘F__k VAR.’ Then just walked off.”
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Andy Halliday says Hearts won’t have the chance to win the title again
This was brutal for Hearts. They got a stark reality of what Celtic are all about. Even during a season of chaos, those in green and white lifted the double.
Even with the season now at an end, Lawrence Shankland is set to join Rangers, in another blow to the Jambos, because that’s their main goalscorer and captain.
But when the Open Goal panel were discussing Hearts’ woes on the final day, Andy Halliday stated that his former side will never have the chance to become champions of Scotland again.
Celtic fans might not agree with Halliday often, but he does have a point.
If the Hoops get things right this summer, from recruitment to the manager, then they will be walking away with the trophies again.
Plus, the pressure and noise around Hearts is going to be ramped up like never before at the start of next season, so bring it all on again.
Derek Ferguson: “To be up there for so long, then the last day and the last game, for it to end like that. For them, it’s a sore one.”
Paul Slane: “Has he spoken yet, Del (McInnes)?”
Halliday: “Just at the writer’s award. When he accepted his award.”
Dalziel: “Were you there that night?”
Halliday: “No.”
Dalziel: “I was there. I thought his speech was good.”
Halliday: “Was it good, aye? Did he mention the game at all?”
Dalziel: “He never elaborated on it. Then he just went right at the end as he was walking off, ‘F__k VAR.’ Then just walked off.”
Halliday: “I don’t mind it.”
Dalziel: “A wee bit of personality in there. I thought that he handled it really, really well. You have to have a wee bit of character.”
Halliday: “They won’t thank me for saying it, but none of them will win the Premier League ever again. They will never get a better opportunity than that. I genuinely believe that.
“Aye, the current players at Hearts. I think that was essentially the last chance for Hearts to win the league.”
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