Scottish Premier League - McGeady furious at Celtic

Eurosport - Thu, 18 Dec 07:41:00 2008

Aiden McGeady's days as a Celtic player look numbered after the winger's agent confirmed he would not accept the two-week first-team ban slapped on him by manager Gordon Strachan.

FOOTBALL 2007-2008 Scottish Premier League Celtic Aiden McGeady - 0

McGeady looks set to drag the dispute through the club's internal appeals process in a bid to overturn the suspension and a fine of two weeks' wages imposed by Strachan after their dressing-room bust-up at Parkhead on Saturday December 13.

The move risks opening up an irrevocable rift between player and manager and, unless the Republic of Ireland international backs down, it is hard to see him pulling on a Celtic jersey again under the current regime.

And with the club announcing the signing of Northern Ireland winger Niall McGinn a matter of minutes after revealing McGeady's punishment, the 22-year-old could even be sold as soon as New Year's Day.

Agent David Holbrook, who initially claimed he knew nothing about the disagreement, told BBC Sport: "I can confirm that Aiden has been fined by the club and suspended. He's shocked, disappointed - and I can say he will be appealing.

"He feels that the action is completely unjustified."

Any internal appeal looks doomed to failure, with McGeady's punishment given unanimous approval by the Celtic board.

PA Sport understands McGeady could take his case to the Scottish Premier League if he is unhappy at the outcome.

The decision to suspend him was a brave one by Strachan, given that he is effectively banning his star player from the derby trip to Rangers on December 27.

Holbrook reports McGeady is particularly upset at missing the Old Firm encounter, adding: "He remains 110 per cent Celtic - he's supported them, trained with them and loves them.

"But there's a difference between how Aiden feels he's been treated by the club's hierarchy, as opposed to his relationship with the club at large."

Saturday was not the first time McGeady and Strachan have reportedly clashed, with rumours of a confrontation following the August 31 defeat to Rangers.

McGeady subsequently found his first-team opportunities limited, although he was eventually restored to the starting XI.

He had only recently returned to the team following a month out injured and was in goal-scoring form in their Champions League win over Villarreal.

But he was one of a number of players to put in a below-par performance in Saturday's 1-1 SPL draw with Hearts, with the culprits all given a post-match dressing-down.

McGeady is thought to have been the only one to question his treatment.

He was the undoubted star of Celtic's SPL title triumph last season, winning both the SPFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards.

But he has struggled to recapture that form this term, leading to speculation he could be sold.

It smacked of more than coincidence that the club decided to go public with McGeady's punishment minutes before announcing the signing of McGinn from Derry City.

McGinn, who has signed a three-and-a-half-year deal from January 1 for an undisclosed fee, is more of a prospect than an established star but he operates in the same areas as McGeady and is a year younger.

A boyhood Hoops fan, he told his new club's website: "I'm absolutely delighted to be here.

"It's been a great season for me with Derry, and to now have joined Celtic just tops it all off.

"There was another club showing real interest. But when I knew Celtic wanted to sign me, my mind was made up. I've just been working hard and I'm over the moon to get it all sorted."

Sporting Life / Eurosport

Comment 59 - 78 of 78

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  1. Paul - your point # 78 is deeply offensive, and I must­ say that you have truly plumbed the depths with this­ one! I have reported you to the moderators, and you can­ expect a visit from the police too! I intend to have­ you prosecuted for breaching the Race Discrimination­ Act. Other posters be warned!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Fri 19 Dec 1:43PM

  2. Gary R - you are saying that I googled­ "leverndale". I think you talk about it from­ experience! And I thought you would have been more­ "au fait" with Roslin Research Centre!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Thu 18 Dec 10:18PM

  3. I see the sperm buckets gary H and paul G have crawled­ out of a corpse of a dead donkey again.

    From thetwotoedsloth, on Thu 18 Dec 8:12PM

  4. You did google it,ya cococops clown,you said there was­ several options when you googled­ "leverndale".What part of that dont you­ understand??
    Just hope for your sake there's a mass­ inside the outpatients clinic for you to confess your­ sins and hang around for "guitar lessons"­ afterwards,lol.

    From World Record 52 Champions, on Thu 18 Dec 5:09PM

  5. Gary R: (short for R-se hole!) - as I already said,­ where did I say that I googled it? If only our most­ dangerous criminals could have you as a witness for the­ Crown, eh? Their case would be thrown out for lack of­ evidence! And for your information, Paul - I am in­ PHUKET! it's about 400 miles south of Bangkok. Add­ to the fact that I have my wife with me, why would I­ want to visit the katoeys? As for the bit about Big­ Jock being there, are you ALWAYS so disrespectful of­ the dead? To call you a low-life would be an insult to­ other low-life's!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Thu 18 Dec 4:55PM

  6. 71 - The bit where you said if you google­ "leverndale".

    From World Record 52 Champions, on Thu 18 Dec 3:13PM

  7. Stevie wonder, its the lady bhoys of banging c.ock your­ going to see isnt it? You never know, Big Jock might­ be there. BJK

    From Paul G CHAMPIONS, on Thu 18 Dec 2:39PM

  8. Point 67 - where in my mesage did I state that I­ actually googled it? Are you one of those­ "reliable witnesses" that stand up in court­ and say that whatever happened must've happened­ because somebody told you it did? Get back to your­ cocopops, and feel free to enlighten us all with­ further recipes from Kelloggs Cocopops recipe book! Oh,­ and if you want to get your windaes really clean, stop­ licking them. Try newspaper and white vinegar instead!!­ Brings them up a treat!!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Thu 18 Dec 12:22PM

  9. Actually, Gary R - I've just had a lovely day on­ Kamala Beach, and am getting ready to go to a show­ here! If this is care in the community, gimme more!­ Lots of sunshine, thai food, and Chang or Singa beer!­ And it's a lot cheaper than 2 weeks in Spain!!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Thu 18 Dec 12:16PM

  10. 68 - LOL @ Stevie B ya sad @#$%...Have a nice day out­ with the care in the community

    From World Record 52 Champions, on Thu 18 Dec 10:48AM

  11. STRACHANS A PRI*% SMALL MAN SYNDROME HE PICKS ON ONLY­ PEOPLE THAT ARE SMALLER THAN HIM WHY DOESNT HE PICK BIG­ BOBO BALDE ,HE COUDNT HAVE HANDLED THIS SITUATION ANY­ WORSE .......

    From Timabhouy, on Thu 18 Dec 10:36AM

  12. The sad point is stevie wonder, you google'd it.­ LOL You wanting to see if your secrets out were you? ­ oh and if you add hot milk to coco pops its more­ chocolatey. There you go ya wee cocopops windae licker.

    From Paul G CHAMPIONS, on Thu 18 Dec 9:34AM

  13. 63 - go get your pc fixed then. If you google­ "leverndale" you are simply offered several­ options, none of them mentioning my name once! Possibly­ something to do with the fact that I have never been a­ patient there! However, since you appear to have­ intimate knowledge of this hospital and its facilities,­ it doesn't take a genius to realise that you must­ have spent a part of your life in there!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Thu 18 Dec 8:59AM

  14. 56 - TwoToed, I think it is more like an oompa-loompa­ that's responsible, or the Munchkins from the­ Wizard Of Oz!!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Thu 18 Dec 8:53AM

  15. MC GEADY IS A SCINCILATING TALL AND BIG STRIKER. I­ THINK HE WILL JOIN MAN U. THEN UNITED WILL HAVE THE­ BEST STRIKE FORCE IN THE WORLD WITH RONALDO,­ ROONEY,TEVEZ, BERBATOV, MC GEADY AND TOSIC!!!!!!!!

    From mrcs_94, on Thu 18 Dec 8:28AM

  16. No player is bigger than the club. Sell him, get the­ millons, and re-invest. Onwards and upwards.

    From THOMAS, on Thu 18 Dec 7:51AM

  17. If you google leverndale,you'll see that Stevie B­ is one of the outpatients and the nurses will regale­ you with stories of him wanting his cocopops in the­ morning,lol.
    He also has a nasty dose of mad @#$%­ disease so the guy obviously doesn't have a lot­ going for him,poor @#$%.

    From World Record 52 Champions, on Thu 18 Dec 7:34AM

  18. SACK STRACHAN!!! END OF STORY!!

    From john s, on Thu 18 Dec 12:12AM

  19. sure mcgeadys better then celtic he should be at a top­ european side

    From christopher, on Wed 17 Dec 10:31PM

  20. mcgeady avoiding last years new year old firm, karma is­ a beeeaaaaatch eh?

    From ali k, on Wed 17 Dec 9:43PM
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