NEVER AGAIN

Engels says Celtic first-half Hibs flop was unacceptable and declares that type of display can't happen at Hoops

- CRAIG SWAN

ARNE ENGELS has revealed Celtic were fuming with their first-half flop at Hibs.

And the honest Belgian is clear his team will never hunt excuses after a rare title slip.

As the champions headed out of Easter Road defeated, Brendan Rodgers' troops had justifiable reasons to claim mitigating circumstances.

Naturally, the controversial chalking-off of a late Daizen Maeda strike dominated post-match discussions.

But the fact the Hoops were still chasing the game at that advanced stage was down to their poor opening period.

By the high standards they have set, the champions were miles off it during that wayward first half in Leith.

To most outside of the Celtic dressing room, Rodgers' team could have passed off their sluggish Edinburgh start given the savage exertions of their midweek Champions League clash against Bayern in Munich.

That saw an energy-sapping 90 minutes in the game's highest-octane tournament and the crushing pain of their late exit, never mind the travel.

But Engels wasn't having it.

There was no attempt to absolve responsibility for the opening period as he outlined the mood among the group as they reassembled at the interval staring down a 2-0 deficit.

He said: "Of course everybody was angry at the performance.