Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has hit back at criticism of the pitch invasion that followed his team's dramatic Scottish Premiership title win, branding suggestions it embarrassed the game as "nonsense."
Supporters poured onto the pitch at Celtic Park after Callum Osmand scored in the 98th minute to make it 3-1, securing a fifth consecutive league title for the Hoops. Hearts players were forced to leave the stadium in their kits, with the Edinburgh club describing a "menacing and threatening atmosphere."
Celtic issued an apology to Hearts on Sunday, pledging to cooperate with a police investigation. But O'Neill, speaking on Talksport, strongly defended the fans' actions.
"I totally disagree with that," he said when asked if the incident had tarnished Celtic's victory. "I don't know about confrontations with the Hearts players. There's a lot of hyperbole. Let's find out the real picture."
Asked about Hearts' statement that the scenes had "embarrassed Scottish football," O'Neill replied: "As they might do. I just don't believe it. I think it's nonsense. Let me have a look at the picture, let me see the scenes at the end of the day, and then I'll come back to you."
Osmand's goal came with eight seconds left in stoppage time. "The game was essentially over," O'Neill argued. "The referee has claimed he blew the final whistle. There's obvious excitement — we scored to win the league."
When host Jim White insisted supporters should not have stormed the pitch, O'Neill retorted: "Well, start telling that to every single football club. It's a home game, we'd just won the league, and the fans came on the field. Should they stay put?"
The SPFL is awaiting the match delegate's report before deciding on any action. Meanwhile, police reported two officers seriously injured and 14 arrests following trouble in Glasgow city centre on Saturday.