Chris Sutton has revealed that Lubo Moravcik got away with murder at training under Martin O’Neill.
The Slovakian was the senior figure in the squad that O’Neill inherited with his sublime skill excusing him out of the more physical demands of the Barrowfield training sessions.
Moravcik sprinkled magic onto the incredible work rate of the 2001 treble winners, complimenting brilliantly the industry provided by players like Neil Lennon, Stan Petrov and Alan Thompson.
In the Daily Record Sutton recalled: “Listen, some managers are different. Brian Clough used to say he couldn’t care less about the way my old Celtic coach John Robertson would train during the week because he knew he’d turn it on when Saturday came.
“When Robbo was coach and Martin O’Neill was manager at Celtic, Lubo Moravcik would blank training.
“No joking, Lubo would slope off to left-back. Some guys would be doing two miles during the session and he’d jog about 100 metres.
“However, there are mitigating factors. The game has changed, it’s faster than Robbo’s day. And Lubo was in the twilight of his career. He’d earned it.”
Sutton was reflecting on Brendan Rodgers’ recent comments about Leigh Griffiths, spelling out the demands on a striker in 2018.
While the Celtic boss is fiercely defensive of most of his players the former Hibs and Wolves striker has come in for criticism a couple of times from Rodgers.
Since the Irishman took charge of Celtic Griffiths has been dogged by muscle injuries resulting in lengthy absences due to hamstring, calf and groin strains.
In five SPFL matches this season Odsonne Edouard, at home to Livingston, is the only Celtic striker to have scored a goal.