Paul Slane Calls Out Andy Halliday as Celtic ‘Shocker’ Claim Exposes Awkward Double Standard
Paul Slane challenged Andy Halliday live on Open Goal after his Celtic “shocker” declaration — and the Ibrox club's European exit quickly entered the argument.
Phillip Cooney Andy Halliday’s Celtic “shocker” claim has produced a fascinating exchange with Paul Slane on Open Goal.
Halliday was discussing Celtic’s Champions League qualifier against Austrian champions LASK when he piled pressure onto Martin O’Neill’s side.
According to Halliday, it would be a “shocker” if Celtic failed to progress.
That is quite a standard to set before a ball has even been kicked.
However, Slaney wasn’t prepared to let the discussion pass without challenging Halliday.
Andy Halliday’s Celtic claim gets challenged by Slaney
During the heated Open Goal exchange, Slaney reminded Halliday that LASK “ain’t no mugs” and challenged the picture being painted of Celtic’s opponents.
Slaney had a point.
LASK aren’t some European minnow Celtic have been fortunate enough to draw.
They are Austrian champions after finishing ahead of Sturm Graz in a league containing Red Bull Salzburg, Rapid Vienna and Austria Vienna.
They also completed a domestic double last season.
Yet Halliday is already declaring Celtic’s elimination would constitute a “shocker”.
That raises an obvious question.
Where was that same pressure before the Ibrox club faced Jagiellonia Białystok?
Where was the Ibrox club ‘shocker’ warning?
The Ibrox club subsequently crashed out of the Europa League against the Polish champions.
Was Halliday telling everyone beforehand that elimination would be a “shocker”?
Was Jagiellonia being talked down while enormous pressure was piled onto Halliday’s former club to qualify?
Certainly, nothing approaching the same rhetoric appeared to surround that tie beforehand.
That apparent difference wasn’t lost on Slaney either.
He immediately brought the Jagiellonia result into the argument after Halliday’s Celtic declaration.
Slaney also referenced Halliday’s previous treatment of Hibs in Europe, questioning why other Scottish clubs seemingly receive such uncompromising assessments.
Nobody is suggesting Celtic shouldn’t expect to beat LASK.
They should believe they can progress.
However, there is a considerable difference between expecting Celtic to win and portraying elimination against Austria’s champions as some catastrophic failure.
Halliday has every right to his opinion.
Equally, Celtic supporters have every right to question why such enormous expectations appear to be placed upon their club when the rhetoric surrounding his former side can sound rather different.
Slaney challenged that apparent double standard right there at the Open Goal table.
Perhaps it was about time somebody did.
Key Takeaways
- Andy Halliday described Celtic failing to eliminate LASK as a “shocker”.
- Paul Slane challenged Halliday’s assessment during a heated Open Goal exchange.
- LASK are the reigning Austrian champions and completed a domestic double.
- Slaney brought up the Ibrox club’s European defeat to Jagiellonia during the argument.
- The exchange raises questions over whether the same standards are being applied to different Scottish clubs.
