Last weekend, Celtic and Hearts played out a 3-1 victory for the Hoops at Tynecastle Park. Despite the result Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers hit out at the length of the grass which he was 'embarrassed with to be honest, for Scottish football.' Today Hearts boss Craig Levein has issued a strong rebuttal to that criticism.
Levein's Hearts are currently sixth and 35 points off Celtic. When asked about Rodgers criticism, he claimed he spent time with the Celtic manager after the game and he never raised it. However, he was firmly unapologetic about the tactic.
There's not a level playing field in Scotland and I make no apologies for staying within the rules and trying to win the game. He can moan and bleats all he wants but it'll be the same again next season.
When quizzed on whether he asked the groundsman to leave it long, Levein smiled and responded "maybe."
WATCH: Hearts boss Craig Levein tells Celtic counterpart Brendan Rodgers he can "bleat all he wants" about the Tynecastle surface.
His club's approach won't be changing any time soon, though.
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Rodgers had said the surface affected the way his side tried to play.
We couldn't play our normal game today. The pitch, I'm actually a little embarrassed with to be honest, for Scottish football and the standards you're trying to create throughout the country.
The pitch was so long the players couldn't pass on it, and that's both sides. Guys like Steven Naismith, being in the Premier League all their days, you couldn't pass the ball. But you've got to find a way to win and the players did that.
It looks like it is something the Celtic boss will have to get used to for future ties.
