Neil Lennon has branded Kris Boyd “idiotic” after the Sky Sports pundit claimed there are no great players in Scotland.
The Celtic boss launched a fierce defence of the standard of players north of the border and insisted it was “folly” for ex-Kilmarnock, Rangers and Scotland star Boyd to slate our game.
Asked if he was aware of the debate raging about the comparative merits of Old Firm strikers Alfredo Morelos and Odsonne Edouard, Lennon launched his broadside at Boyd.
He said: “They are great players, each different in style and bring a lot of quality to both teams.
“Fans will compare. Young fans, old fans, that is what all supporters do when there is a rivalry. I don’t mind that at all.
“We have more than two top players in the country. They are two excellent forwards and are the ones that make a difference I suppose.
“It depends how you define great. If he [Boyd] is comparing everyone to Messi and Ronaldo then…
“But Virgil van Dijk played in Scotland not so long ago. Do we have a Kevin de Bruyne or an Eden Hazard? Maybe not.
“But did we ever have great players at that level? Maybe Henrik Larsson.
“Listen, we had Virgil and can we go and create more great players along the way? Of course we can.
“I think it’s an idiotic statement to make.
“Give me £50m and I’ll bring in a load of players here and we’ll see what we can do with them.
“We have to create our own monsters again.
“John McGinn could potentially go on to be a great player. Callum McGregor, I think, is a great player.
“But how do you compare them? If you put them in the Premier League would they thrive in it? No question.
“McGinn already is. Callum would, James Forrest would, Andrew Robertson is a great player who was playing here in Scotland three or four years ago.
“It’s folly and doesn’t make a lot of sense to say these things. I get that pundits like Kris have to be controversial and make these sort of statements but it just doesn’t wash with me.
“Whether it’s petty jealousy or something? I don’t know.”
Lennon, whose team face Hamilton tonight as Rangers take on Aberdeen at Pittodrie in the most exciting title race in years, has backed our game to the hilt.
He said: “The English Premier League is over. It’s the first week in December and it’s already over.
“Here we have a title challenge on.”
