Soccer: Lambert lashes Rangers stars

Celtic midfielder Paul Lambert has taken a swipe at Rangers’ bitter stars and accused them of sour grapes.

While the Parkhead club paraded the championship trophy after their 1-0 victory over Hearts at Parkhead yesterday some of the Ibrox players have made excuses for their side’s dismal season.

The Double-winners are currently 18 points clear of their arch rivals and the midfielder believes that some of the Rangers big names have not given the Bhoys the credit they deserve and chose to blame injuries and other problems for their own fall from grace.

But Celtic have only lost one game all season and are on course for a famous Treble and an angry Lambert clearly believes that some of Dick Advocaat’s men have not accepted defeat gracefully.

‘‘I think that we have deserved the championship,’’ insisted Lambert. ‘‘Our record this season speaks for itself.

‘‘Anybody out with the club who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves.

‘‘We have only lost one game all season and I just think that we’ve been the best domestically.

‘‘We’ve worked very hard for it which is the most important thing and it all comes down to our work ethic.

‘‘We’ve played well at times and deep down we knew if we worked hard we’d get something and that’s what’s happened this year.’’

Lambert also claimed that this current success was even more sweeter than winning the title in his first season at the club in season 1997-98.

He insists that a club of their stature have under-achieved and it was time to prove this was no fluke by going on to securing the Treble and repeating their dominance in the future.

Lambert added: ‘‘This is even nicer than that one and like I said we have had to work really hard for this.

‘‘I have been here four seasons and every year gets more difficult and I am lucky enough to win it twice now and a couple of cups while I’ve been here.

‘‘But this club has got to have success all the time and that’s what the fans demand, to give them something.

‘‘We’re lucky enough to win two trophies this season - so far maybe - but it’s going to be a very hard game against Hibs in the Scottish Cup final.

‘‘I know Alex McLeish and Andy Watson and they’ve done a fantastic job there and so a cup final’s a one-off game and you never know what could happen.’’

Hearts manager Craig Levein admitted that match-winner Lubo Moravcik and the champions deserved their late glory.

Moravcik came on in the 63rd minute and within five minutes had bagged the winner and turned a game, that was destined to be a goalless draw, on its head.

Levein felt his side never looked like scoring and it was inevitable that the goal would come.

‘‘We didn’t look a threat at all,’’ admitted Levein. ‘‘We passed the ball reasonably well, but I didn’t see the goal coming.

‘‘We defended doggedly and there were some encouraging signs, but that wasn’t enough and Moravcik deserved the goal after the season he’s had.

All the work we did was in our own half and I can’t fault the team for their effort, but there was no energy left to go forward.

‘‘Before the game I thought we maybe could have won or at least got a point, but you can’t begrudge them the victory because they deserved it.’’