Dundee United manager Jackie McNamara has reminded John Collins that Nadir Ciftci, Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong all played for Celtic in Europe.
The Tannadice boss was reacting to the Parkhead assistant boss’s assertion that the Hoops are hindered in continental competition by other Scottish clubs’ inability to test them in matches.
Collins claimed: “No disrespect to teams here but they’re not clever enough players or quick enough thinkers to punish us.”
That prompted a stinging riposte on Sunday from Aberdeen gaffer Derek McInnes, who accused Collins of having a lot to say for himself despite not being a manager in his own right.
McInnes proceeded to pick Collins’ argument apart and McNamara chipped in, too, when asked about the matter yesterday.
His reply was just as brutal as the one from the Dons boss as he reminded Collins of how the Hoops had used three of United’s top players from last season in their Champions League qualifier against Qarabag in Azerbaijan last week.
McNamara said: “I saw Derek’s comments.
“I haven’t actually heard him (Collins) say it so I am not sure if he has been misquoted.
“But three of his attackers last week in their most important game were three of our players from last year.
“So make of that what you will. Sometimes these things get forgotten.”