Neil McCann’s Celtic Anger Goes Back Years – He Simply Can’t Help Himself

Neil McCann and Celtic. It is a combination that has produced some extraordinary opinions over the years.

Now, Celtic travel to Rugby Park today with McCann waiting in the Kilmarnock dugout.

The artificial surface is finally gone. Kilmarnock now have grass at Rugby Park.

However, something rather more familiar remains.

McCann has never appeared particularly capable of hiding his frustration when Celtic are involved.

For me, his punditry has often come across as heavily slanted against Celtic. His connection with the Ibrox club is hardly a secret either.

Perhaps that explains some of it.

Whatever the reason, Celtic certainly seem capable of getting under his skin.

Neil McCann fumes after Celtic comeback

The latest evidence arrived only months ago.

Kilmarnock led Celtic 2-0 before Celtic stormed back to win 3-2. Julian Araujo eventually scored the winner deep into stoppage time.

McCann wasn’t happy.

“I’m not quite sure where they get seven minutes from,” he complained. “They just make it up these days.”

What a remarkable accusation.

Instead of Celtic’s comeback being the story, suddenly we were hearing about officials apparently inventing added time.

That, for me, is vintage McCann.

When something goes Celtic’s way, the frustration rarely seems far from the surface.

You can almost see it building.

Celtic decisions seem to infuriate him

McCann’s history makes the latest outburst even more interesting.

In May 2024, he questioned the technology used to determine whether Kyogo Furuhashi was onside against Hearts.

Once again, a Celtic goal became something to scrutinise.

I’ve watched McCann extensively as a pundit. In my opinion, his analysis can sometimes feel completely different when Celtic are involved.

I don’t buy the pretence that his history with the Ibrox club somehow disappears when he sits in a television studio.

I’m entitled to judge what I watch.

And what I’ve watched over the years has frequently looked anything but sympathetic towards Celtic.

McCann called Édouard “disrespectful”

Perhaps nothing illustrates it better than Odsonne Édouard’s magnificent Panenka in the 2020 Scottish Cup final.

It was audacious.

It was brilliant.

It was the sort of moment supporters remember.

McCann somehow found a reason to be angry about it.

He called Édouard’s penalty “disrespectful” and defended Craig Gordon’s furious reaction.

Seriously?

A footballer had the confidence and ability to produce an outrageous penalty in a major final. Yet McCann managed to turn it into a controversy.

Neil Lennon subsequently described the argument as “complete and utter nonsense.”

That was difficult to disagree with.

Then came the “fearful Celtic fans”

During Steven Gerrard’s successful season at the Ibrox club, McCann was certainly enjoying himself.

He spoke about “fearful Celtic fans” while discussing the growing confidence surrounding his former club.

That phrase hasn’t aged particularly quietly.

It also demonstrated the contrast.

When things were going well at Ibrox, McCann could barely contain his enthusiasm.

When Celtic enjoy a big moment, however, controversy and criticism never seem particularly far away.

For me, the pattern is impossible to ignore.

McCann isn’t alone either.

Derek McInnes, Kris Boyd, Alex Rae and Kenny Miller have produced plenty of furious Celtic-related moments themselves.

Sometimes it feels as though anger is the default setting.

Yet McCann has turned it into something approaching an art form.

Today he gets another opportunity.

Celtic arrive at Rugby Park looking for three points on Kilmarnock’s new grass surface.

McCann will desperately want to stop them.

That’s football.

But if Celtic win?

Keep an eye on that technical area.

Because history suggests Neil McCann’s feelings won’t be particularly difficult to read.

Key Takeaways

Neil McCann has produced several memorable comments involving Celtic over the years.

His latest frustration followed Celtic’s dramatic 3-2 comeback victory against Kilmarnock.

McCann previously criticised Édouard’s Panenka and spoke about “fearful Celtic fans”.

Celtic now face McCann’s Kilmarnock on Rugby Park’s new grass surface.