Bhoys’ spat ‘won’t hurt’ Old Firm preparation
But he fears the training ground spat between the Celtic duo will be blamed if Celtic do slump to defeat at the hands of Rangers for the second time this season.
Manager Gordon Strachan has since attempted to play down the incident, which happened last Thursday at the club’s Lennoxtown training complex.
Neither has been a stranger to controversy this term, with McGeady also involved in a row with Strachan which saw him fined and banned from first team activities, while Boruc has courted controversy on several occasions as his form has dipped.
And one thing Van Hooijdonk is certain of is that both players will be united in their attempts to prevent Rangers returning to the top ofthe Scottish Premier League on Sunday.
He said: “If Celtic lose on Sunday then the easiest argument to use is that it was because of the bust-up between these two players. But I think there is also the possibility it will not have an effect on the game. At the end of the day, they both want the same thing — to be successful and win games for Celtic.
“Now for me it’s not a big thing. It would only be a big thing if they started fighting on the field on Sunday.”
Defeat in the last Old Firm derby at Ibrox saw Rangers fall seven points adrift of Celtic. But Walter Smith’s men have slashed the deficit to just two points ahead of the trip to Parkhead.
“Rangers will be full of confidence after closing the gap to two points,” said Van Hooijdonk, who spent two years at Celtic in the 1990s.
“They know, with a win, they will be on top again. Celtic have to find something to change the way things are going.
“As a Celtic player and fan, I always hope that will happen. Last year, the victories for Celtic over Rangers in the last part of the season were crucial. Now, when you look at the standings, this one is also going to be vital.”
Meanwhile former Rangers goalkeeper Andy Goram has refused to read too much into the spat, insisting every team clashes behind the scenes.
Goram insisted: “I’ve not been at a club in my life when there hasn’t been a scuffle or two.
“You can’t go through a season with a team of angels and expect to win anything.
“I don’t know the circumstances so it’s not for me to say anything about Artur and Aiden but tensions do rise before an Old Firm game, there is no doubt about that.”
Celtic striker Shaun Maloney insists there are no problems in the dressing following the altercation.
Maloney insisted: “Everybody at the club gets on well.
“I don’t think there is anything wrong in the dressing room.
“This was just one of those unfortunate things that happen. Everyone seems to get on well.”
Asked if that included Boruc and McGeady, he replied: “You would probably need to ask them that.”
Last night’s result: Coca-Cola Football League One: Leeds 2 Millwall 0.
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