Loudmouth pundit Jason Cundy will eat his words about Celtic ’embarrassing British football’ on once condition – as he conceded Brendan Rodgers’ men are on course for the knockouts.
The shock jock hammered the Hoops following their 7-1 defeat to Dortmund on matchday two but the Scottish champions have since picked up a big away point at Atalanta before dumping RB Leipzig – sitting second in the Bundesliga – 3-1 at Parkhead to move themselves onto seven points from four games.
Caller Mark – a Celtic fan – called up to ask Cundy if his side were still an embarrassment with Jamie O’Hara backing him up for an apology from his co-host. He failed to deliver that word on air but did congratulate the Hoops for their win. The trio went back and forward with the conversation then focussing on Celtic’s next opponents and after finding out who and the positions of the teams in the League phase table, Cundy admitted they could be heading for the next stage.
But of course he didn’t stop there insisting that you’ve got to be a terrible team not to get through as the top 24 from the 36 teams go into the hat for the knockout round. It was then suggested to him with the run of fixtures they could in fact grab a top eight spot and Cundy said he would give the Celtic fans the apology they want if that scenario transpired.
Check out the full transcript below
Mark: “Jamie, you said to Jason he owes Coventry an apology. Do you not think he owes one to the whole Celtic support?”
O’Hara: “He does mate. Absolutely.”
Mark: “What did you say a couple of weeks ago about being an embarrassment to British football?”
Cundy: “You had your pants pulled down. What was the score? You got beat 7-1, Mark.”
Mark: “Are we still an embarrassment to British football?”
Cundy: “Not tonight, but the other night you were. Let’s agree to disagree. Were you an embarrassment to British football when you had your pants pulled down and conceded seven?”
Mark: “We had an off night. We had an off night”
Cundy: “Well done tonight, congratulations.”
O’Hara: “Are you going to apologise? You should apologise. Come on, they’ve got seven points.”
Cundy: “No. Well done, but they’ve had their pants pulled down. When you concede seven in the Champions League..”
Mark: “It’s the way you bounce back, Jason.”
Cundy: “It is. You’ve bounced back well but you know with Celtic, Mark. You know what is going to happen don’t you? You will embarrass British football again, won’t you?”
Mark: “I will give you a ring in a couple of weeks again..
Cundy: “You will? I bet you don’t.”
O’Hara: “They are almost through..”
Cundy: “Yeah they are almost into the play-offs.”
Mark: “We are getting better and strong under Brendan Rodgers.”
Cundy: “I don’t know whether you are. Every year you say the same thing you lot.”
Mark: “This is different mate. Just eat a bit of humble pie Jason tonight.”
Cundy: “Listen, well done tonight but you did embarrass British football.”
O’Hara: “Apologise to Celtic come on. I think it is about time. They’ve shown they are the real deal (Cundy laughs) They’ve shown they can compete in the Champions League at this level against good sides. They beat Leipzig tonight, really good team. Atalanta are a good team. Apologise!”
Cundy: “Goal difference, zero. You’ve conceded nine in four games. But you did score nine to be fair. I tell you what we do. We have this conversation in three weeks. We put it on hold. But I’ve got a funny feeling though, I don’t think you will phone us back, Mark.. Who have you got?”
Mark: “Young Boys and Club Brugge.”
Cundy: “Where are Young Boys?”
Mark: “They are down the bottom so we will beat them.”
O’Hara: “They are struggling. They are 35th.”
Cundy: “You are definitely beating Young Boys.”
O’Hara: “They’ve got Club Brugge as well, they are 27th!”
Cundy: “You know what. I think you might be through.”
Mark: “Do you still want to have that conversation?”
Cundy: “We will have it. I know what Celtic are like, Mark.”
O’Hara: “They might go through automatic.”
Cundy: “If they go through automatic I will definitely apologise. You know what it is like. You’ve got to be a terrible team. All you’ve got to do is finish in the top 24.”
Mark: “We are not a terrible team now though, Jason.”
Cundy: “Tonight you weren’t. Well done, congratulations. But they’ve got it in their locker.”
O’Hara: “Mark, fair play to you. Great result and happy for Celtic seeing them do it in the Champions League finally. It’s taken some time.”
Cundy: “They’ve done nothing yet mate. A broken clock is right twice a day.”
O’Hara: “They’ve beaten Leipzig and drawn with Atalanta. It is one game [Dortmund].”
Cundy: “That’s the night I said they embarrassed British football.”
O’Hara: “You’ve said it before and say it a lot.”
Cundy : “Because they get beat a lot..”