It was another win for Celtic, but a distasteful disagreement at full-time has dominated the headlines.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has defended his coaching staff after Motherwell manager Mark McGhee claimed their behaviour was not befitting of the Scottish champions, STV reports.
Tom Rogic’s winner secured a dramatic 4-3 victory for the Hoops in an emotionally charged contest at Fir Park, with the hosts leading 2-0 at half-time and 3-2 with just 20 minutes remaining.
The result ensures Celtic remain eight points clear of Old Firm rivals Rangers at the top of the table with three games in hand, though a row over the behaviour of the league leaders coaching staff has threatened to overshadow the most remarkable of games.
Well manager McGhee (below), while praising Rodgers for his professionalism, slammed the conduct of Celtic assistant Chris Davies for his alleged refusal to shake hands after the game, but the former Liverpool manager has now emphatically come to the defence of his backroom staff.
“I think [McGhee’s claim] is very unfair, especially as he comes up into our warm-up before the game to ask our players to warm up in a different area. He shouldn’t be doing that,” Rodgers said in quotes reported by STV.
“I don’t think that is very befitting of an assistant manager of a national team and manager of Motherwell.
“My staff are exemplary in their behaviour. We know what we are representing. We have integrity.”
The disagreement is unlikely to take any of the sheen off an impressive comeback win, however, with Rodgers’ Celtic tenure going from strength to strength and yet another league title looking like an inevitability even at this early stage of the season.
The Hoops have already lifted silverware this season, beating Aberdeen in the Scottish League Cup final last week.
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