Police visited Celtic’s Lennoxtown training base on Friday ahead of Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup quarter-final against Rangers. Martin O’Neill revealed officers held a short meeting with the squad to go over behaviour before the trip to Ibrox.
The fixture will be played without Celtic supporters inside the stadium, while recent meetings between the sides have brought extra scrutiny around celebrations and incidents on the pitch.
O’Neill said: (Celtic FC YouTube), “We had the police come in today, just a little 15-minute meeting just to remind us of our behaviour, which I think is a timely reminder.”
The Celtic boss later explained that the discussion was about the wider conduct expected from players during a match of this nature.
He said: “I think it’s the overall picture. It would be nice to have something to celebrate.
“I think it’s just general behaviour from us.
“They didn’t mention this, but I would have assumed that one of the things that would be considered is what happens in the field of play, because these things can be taken further.
“You don’t want any sort of punch-ups for a start. Secondly, you don’t want excessive celebrations, stuff like that, if that was the case. I’d be delighted to be celebrating something in the game.”
He added: “But I think it’s just the behaviour in the light of what has happened in recent fixtures. I think that the conversation with the police wouldn’t have taken place had not recent events been brought up to us.”
Sunday’s tie already carries plenty of edge, with a place in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final at stake.
Celtic will also have to deal with a completely one-sided Ibrox crowd, but O’Neill’s comments show the players have been reminded that discipline will matter just as much as emotion once the game starts.
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and who is giving the police guidance ..last time at Ibrox their efforts were pathetic and then justified by the most inept leadership the Scottish police force have ever seen…. We then had the experience of the Police force dressed for war when we won the title then a month later the friendly banter police during the hate march season…this year they have shamed themselves