Chris Sutton has hit out at English pundits who have taken aim at Celtic and Scottish football this week - with Ally McCoist criticised for his part in it.
talkSPORT host Jason Cundy made headlines this week for calling Ange Postecoglou's Hoops a 'fourth-tier' side following their elimination from the Champions League and Europe this week while Rangers joined them in confirming a continental exit before Bonfire Night. Ibrox icon McCoist somewhat agreed with the overall assessment that the Scottish game was not equipped for Europe's top table, saying they are 'miles behind' some of the big boys at the moment. Sutton has fired back in his Daily Record column.
He reckons the Scottish game needs more people sticking up for it. The former striker wrote: "Listen, I’m not running around throwing flowers at Celtic because, at the end of the day, they will finish bottom of Group F. They have come up short. Football is a results business and, if you don’t get them, it is right that performances are scrutinised and displays analysed.
READ MORE: Rangers hero Barry Ferguson hits back at Jason Cundy's Celtic 'fourth tier' talkSPORT radio rant
"That’s the problem. I don’t see much analysis. People are generalising Scottish football and just lumping results all into one bracket. Wrong. Coming out with phrases like disaster and humiliating for all. It is lazy and it is stupid.
"I’m hearing pundits south of the border making statements about the Scottish game being fourth tier and it’s just plain ignorance. If that wasn’t bad enough, my old pal Ally McCost agreed with one of them this week.
"Are you joking, Ally? You cannot seriously tell me they have been outclassed, or out of their depth, or been cannon fodder? Could you look at any of the five performances that Postecoglou’s team have put up and called them a disaster? Or a nightmare?
"If you do, if you match them up and lazily stick them in the same basket with Rangers’ weak performance in Amsterdam, or lack of ambition at Anfield, or capitulation at home to Liverpool, or Motherwell losing to Sligo, Dundee United’s seven in Alkmaar, you either didn’t watch the games or you don’t have the first clue about football."
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