Aiden McGeady quickly poured cold water over his own words when asked about how the current Celtic team match up to the sides he played in at Parkhead.
Brendan Rodgers‘ team moved nine points clear at the top of the Premiership with a 3-0 home win against Hibs on Sunday, extending their unbeaten record in the league to 30 matches. The Hoops are on course to seal a play-off spot for the knockout rounds of the newly-revamped Champions League and will have the chance to lift the first piece of silverware of the season when they face Rangers in the final of the Premier Sports Cup at Hampden next weekend.
But former Celtic winger McGeady – who won four league titles, two Scottish Cups and one League Cup during his six years at the club between 2004 and 2010, stopped short in giving his thoughts on how Rodgers’ side compared to the ones he featured in under Martin O’Neill and Gordon Strachan that also enjoyed success in Europe.
Responding to a question from Sportscene host and ex-Rangers forward Steven Thompson, McGeady replied: “They are not as good I don’t think… oh sorry, I’m kidding. It’s a funny one because the competition isn’t quite the same from when we all played, especially from Rangers.
“But Celtic can only beat what’s in front of them. And at the minute they are convincing and are going to wrap the title up very early I think.
“They have been so good going forward and have been defensively very good as well. The way the team are playing and the strength in depth they have got, they are a joy to watch.”
Thompson then probed again, asking: “So they are a better team than the one you played in?” to which former Everton, Sunderland and Republic of Ireland star McGeady chuckled: “No, that’s what not what I said”.