"Up there with Pedro Caixinha stuff"; Chris Sutton goes after John Kennedy ahead of Celtic derby

By John McGinley

April 15, 2021

Chris Sutton isn’t happy with the comments made by John Kennedy suggesting that Celtic are still the best team in Scotland.

Kennedy gave a well-circulated interview in the wake of a 6-0 win over Livingston at the weekend, telling The Daily Record: “I have full belief in the squad we have here, that on our day we are still the best team in the country. One hundred-per-cent.”

Clearly he is backing his team to go to Ibrox and give as good as they get.

However, Sutton appears to think the comments are a faux pas on a level with shambolic Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha, who the pundit regularly spoke out against in the media at the time.

Talking to the Record Celtic podcast this week about Kennedy, Sutton said: “It’s a ridiculous thing to say. First of all, it’s absolutely not true, everybody can see that. It’s slightly delusional to say that.

“Whether Celtic fans like it or not, I think that everybody has to sit back and applaud what Steven Gerrard has done at Ibrox this season. They won the league easily. Celtic, it has been a woeful, woeful season, just accept it.”

Sutton would continue: “It was just a really daft comment to make, to say that Celtic are still the best team in the country when they have been annihilated this season. I mean that’s up there with Pedro Caixinha stuff, isn’t it? It was an unnecessary comment.”

The former Celtic striker was then asked how he’d have reacted if he was in a rival dressing room this week and heard those comments, declaring: “I would laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh.”

Alright Chris, we get the point.

We all know what Kennedy meant by his comments and I’m not sure it warrants this level of criticism. Kennedy was simply stating his belief that on their day this Celtic team can prove themselves to be the best team in the country.

Everyone knows that Rangers have been more consistent this season. It kind of goes without saying.

Interim Celtic boss John Kennedy / (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Kennedy is hardly going to roll over and let his belly be tickled at Ibrox is he? Celtic are not in the mood for completely capitulating. Although our rivals have been dominant on the league table this term, this weekend’s cup tie is still a 50/50 occasion.

Celtic will be doing all they can to ensure that these comments don’t come back to bite Kennedy.

The build-up to Sunday continues.

In other news, the class Patryk Klimala fee with add-ons that Celtic will bank.