Kenny Shiels warns of trouble ahead for SPL as Celtic focus on home front

Kenny Shiels believes Celtic’s performance bodes ill for the rest of the SPL, particularly Kilmarnock themselves, given that they have to play Neil Lennon’s side once more before Celtic return to the Champions League fray.

The Killie manager said that Celtic can fully concentrate on their domestic form for the next couple of months and that their new focus on the home front spells trouble for those in their path.

“There is distinct clarity for Celtic now in how they’re going to approach the next two months outwith European football,” said Shiels. “They had a feeling of achievement going into this game. I knew they were going to be very positive, having fulfilled their aim in the Champions League. It had a big bearing on how they felt.”

Killie had a good chance when Celtic led 1-0 but Shiels didn’t make a great deal of it, declining to talk up the significance of Paul Heffernan’s close-range shot that was blocked by Charlie Mulgrew.

“The result was maybe just about right, but there wasn’t a lot in it. When you’re playing against a Celtic side firing like that, it’s difficult. Our captain was suspended and we then had a key player booked early. We have to contend with that while Celtic don’t. They were the better team but not enormously better. We were playing a really good team with international players on the pitch and the bench. That’s the best Celtic have played and you can see in their body language that there is great relief in having achieved what they’ve achieved. They can now concentrate on domestic football.”

An ominous thought for the Killie manager.