Diouf calls Brown a nobody

[Gribz 743]

Diouf deserves credit for not biting to Broon. I was expecting a huge right hand at the time.

[ian1964 10,372]

EL HADJI DIOUF last night claimed Celtic manager Neil Lennon launched a furious verbal attack on him in the Ibrox tunnel at halftime in Sunday's Old Firm derby.

 

Diouf has criticised the pumped-up Parkhead boss for stepping out of line by deliberately targeting him throughout Sunday's Scottish Cup cracker.

 

The 30-year-old says he was shocked to be confronted by a raging Lennon as tempers boiled over.

 

Diouf said: "It's true. Lennon did come at me in the tunnel. He was just trying to wind me up and get me into trouble. Everyone was trying to wind me up. That must have been Lennon's plan.

 

"I heard him talking about me before the game and it's obvious what he was trying to get his players to do.

 

"Then at half-time he came towards me in the tunnel, shouting at me. I can't even remember what he was saying. I think he told me to 'shut up' but I wasn't paying him much attention.

 

"I couldn't believe a manager was behaving in this way. How can any manager have the time to wait in the tunnel for an opposing player at half-time in such a big game? Shouldn't he be in his own dressing room, waiting for his own players?

 

"You wouldn't see a man like Walter Smith behave like that."

 

Diouf has another four Old Firm clashes to come before his loan deal from Blackburn is up at the end of the season.

 

First up is an SPL game a week on Sunday when Diouf returns to Celtic Park for the first time since he was caught spitting on a fan during a UEFA Cup tie with Liverpool eight years ago.

 

But he insists he is being singled out for provocation by the Parkhead club.

 

He said: "I don't have a problem with Lennon. I live in Glasgow now so I'm sure I will see him about, in a restaurant or something like that. If he wants to talk to me there then that's fine - we can speak man to man.

 

"I don't have a problem with Celtic - all I want to do is enjoy playing my football. But they seem to have a problem with me.

 

"Even at the weekend I saw John Hartson having a go at me in the paper. I have big respect for what John Hartson did as a player and I'm very sorry he has been ill with cancer.

 

"But why does he need to pick on me? When you finish playing football sometimes it's better to stop talking and concentrate on doing other things.

 

"But if Celtic think they can wind me up they have made a big mistake. Maybe that would have worked five years ago but I am not a kid any more.

 

"For me, that game is over, Lennon won't wind me up.

 

"We have another four games to come against Celtic and I can't wait to help Rangers win them."

[ian1964 10,372]

SCOTT BROWN last night lifted the lid on his on-field war of words with El Hadji Diouf during Sunday's explosive Old Firm derby.

 

And the Celtic skipper admitted the yellow card he picked up for celebrating in the face of the Rangers new boy was the best booking of his career.

 

Brown spoke out exclusively to Record Sport yesterday to shoot down Diouf's claims he had deliberately set out to get the Senegalese striker sent off by ref Calum Murray.

 

Instead, the Celtic captain has given his own blow-by-blow account of the trash talking that escalated into a full-scale feud between the pair - culminating in Brown's provocative reaction to his stunning late equaliser.

 

Diouf has infuriated Brown by suggesting the Scotland man was "out to make a name for himself " by getting the bad boy into bother in his first Old Firm derby.

 

But Brown insists it was Diouf who started hurling insults in the Ibrox cauldron and claims the former African Player of the Year is now a jealous spent force.

 

Brown - speaking yesterday at Craig Levein's international HQ in Bishopton - said: "He has said I was trying to make a name for myself. How ridiculous is that?

 

"Did he not see the armband I was wearing? I am captain of Celtic, I play for Scotland. I think I have made my name by now.

 

"I think it's more about him trying to make a name for himself again. Let's face it, he only came to this league because he couldn't get a game in England. No one would touch him with a bargepole.

 

"So he's come up to Scotland to try to make the most of what is left of his career, which isn't much. Good luck to the lad. I look forward to seeing how it all works out for him."

 

Brown's account of the flare-ups begins in the opening minutes of the Ibrox clash when Diouf appealed in vain for a free-kick after the pair had clashed in front of the main stand.

 

He said: "It started early in the game when Diouf didn't get a free kick for a challenge I made on him near the corner flag.

 

"He started moaning about that and trying to be the big man. He started trying to trash talk me - saying how much money he has and how I'm skint.

 

"To be fair I couldn't really grumble too much - the lad does have a bit of cash!

 

"So I didn't mind it too much but when I gave him a wee bit back he didn't like it. If you're going to start giving it out you have to expect to get a bit back but he just couldn't take it.

 

"I said something about his diamond tooth and he didn't seem to appreciate it very much. He said I couldn't afford one of my own and maybe he's right.

 

"Fair play to the guy but if he wants to learn about scoring goals he should nip over to watch us train at Lennoxtown one afternoon and I'll show him a thing or two about finishing.

 

"What has he scored? Three goals in three seasons in the Premiership? That's decent eh?

 

"Look, I know I'm hardly the most prolific goalscorer in the world but I'd fancy myself to get more than that down there."

 

Brown admits the exchanges became more and more vile as the match thundered on.

 

He said: "It became very personal between us very quickly. I was actually quite surprised by just how personal he got and the kind of things he was saying about my family.

 

"But I'm a big boy. If he wants to go down that road then I'm happy enough to go there too. I'll always give as good as I get.

 

"He wanted to drag me into a battle and I was quite happy to oblige him. I think I came out of it on top and he knows it.

 

"I don't want to go into detail about what he said about my family. It was crude and it was vulgar but that's up to him. Yes, I did respond to him but what did he expect?

 

"He just picked on the wrong guy."

 

Brown insists he landed the knockout blow when he rifled home the stunning second-half goal that took the fifth-round tie to a replay - and guaranteed this pair must go head to head another FOUR times before the season ends.

 

A beaming Brown was cautioned by ref Murray for turning to gloat at Diouf after the ball had hit the back of Allan McGregor's net.

 

Brown said: "The celebration was brilliant and I don't regret it in the slightest. It was the best booking I've had in my life.

 

"If I'm honest I'm not sure why I was booked because I didn't move and didn't say a word. I just turned round and there he was right by my side.

 

"I'm not sure what I was thinking at the time. I was probably in a bit of shock at scoring with my left peg!

 

"I was delighted with the goal - maybe I just wanted to share the moment with him!

 

"I wasn't trying to make him snap or get him sent off. I didn't think he would spit in my face either because he's been in enough trouble over stuff like that in the past.

 

"It was all just a bit of banter as far as I was concerned. I've been wound up by loads of people on the park and I've done it to more than my fair share of opponents as well. It's part of the game."

 

Now the hot-headed rivals are set to slug it out in four more Old Firm matches this term and Brown insists he can't wait.

 

He said: "I enjoyed the battle. And I'm looking forward to more.

 

"But I'm surprised he went running to a newspaper as soon as he was off the park to complain about me. What's that all about?

 

"What happens on the pitch should stay on the pitch but I'm not going to stand quietly back and let him say these things about me without challenging it. If he wants to make this personal then I'm good with that too."

[Frankie 8,114]

Easy answer is this.

 

Pin a picture of Brown's celebration on the dressing room door before the next game.

 

If our players can't react to that motivation then they really are a lost cause.

[Stimpy 0]

Had a peek on FF yesterday and a few were claiming that Lemon hurled racist abuse at EHD in the tunnel.

 

During Ally's playing days Lemon and co would have been put in their place, but now our players seem to take any abuse going with no desire to fight back. Just like most fans don't mind being bullied.

 

Open season on anything Rangers!

[Gers4Life 0]

Tbh I fear the worst in the return, we really need to go there on the 2nd and work our bloody socks, 4-5-1 formation and hit on the break will be our tactics

[Danny 0]

Brown is now what Lennon was - a wee poisonous wind up merchant with no class. Difference is Lennon could play. Brown's garbage.

[Bluedell 5,329]

He said: "It became very personal between us very quickly. I was actually quite surprised by just how personal he got and the kind of things he was saying about my family.

"I don't want to go into detail about what he said about my family. It was crude and it was vulgar but that's up to him. Yes, I did respond to him but what did he expect?

 

He's trying to imply that Diouf said something about his sister. Do you think that Diouf would know anything about her? Getting the implication in early so that there's a defence against some apparent comments that Brown made to Diouf.

[craig 5,195]

Rather amusing that Brown tries to slag Diouf's socring record.....

 

In his last 48 games Diouf has scored 3 goals.

In his last 51 games Brown has scored 4 goals.

 

All of this considering Brown is playing with a team who create at least the 2nd most chances per game and are a dominant team in an inferior league. Diouf, meanwhile, was playing with a poorer team in the EPL.

 

Does Brown honestly think that he would score more goals in England where he wouldnt be playing for one of the big clubs and playing against better opposition every week ?

 

Note to Scott Brown.... before you try to be derogatory towards someone at least have your remarks based in fact. TWAT !

[Danny 0]

Rather amusing that Brown tries to slag Diouf's socring record.....

 

In his last 48 games Diouf has scored 3 goals.

In his last 51 games Brown has scored 4 goals.

 

All of this considering Brown is playing with a team who create at least the 2nd most chances per game and are a dominant team in an inferior league. Diouf, meanwhile, was playing with a poorer team in the EPL.

 

Does Brown honestly think that he would score more goals in England where he wouldnt be playing for one of the big clubs and playing against better opposition every week ?

 

Note to Scott Brown.... before you try to be derogatory towards someone at least have your remarks based in fact. TWAT !

 

tbh, Blackburn Rovers could beat Rangers or Celtic. Do agree on the rest though.