FORMER Celtic midfielder Roy Keane believes his old club should never settle for anything less than Champions League qualification.
The Bhoys bowed out of Europe’s premier club competition at the qualification stage for the second season running following Tuesday night’s 2-0 defeat to Swedish side Malmo.
Malmo advanced to Thursday’s Champions League draw and were rewarded with glamour ties against Real Madrid, Paris St-Germain and Shakhtar Donetsk.
Celtic, meanwhile, must prepare for a lower quality of opposition in Ajax, Fenerbahce and Molde in the Europa League, Europe’s secondary club competition.
Keane believes it’s not good enough for a club of Celtic’s stature and lamented Ronny Deila’s senior players after the Bhoys boss said some of his men were “frightened” when taking to the pitch in Malmo.
“I always think a club like Celtic should be in the Champions League," said Keane. “The Europa League is just a second prize for them.
"Playing for a big club like Celtic, the players should not be scared of anybody. It's an honest assessment from the manager, but if he's talking about the younger players, then he should look at some of the senior players who went missing.
"They should have been helping their younger team-mates. Every player in the team should take a look at themselves, not just the younger ones."
Celtic’s cause was unaided by the referee’s baffling decision to disallow a seemingly legitimate goal in their favour at 1-0, with a Malmo defender appearing to handle the ball in the build-up to Nir Bitton poking home.
Keane accepts that luck was not on Celtic’s side in that case, as they only needed a draw to progress, but the former Ireland captain questioned their ability to retain possession of the ball thereafter.
He added: "It was a shocking decision. That's where the manager or the club need a bit of luck or the right decision.
"It was a big, big call and very obviously the wrong one. Over the last five or 10 years in Europe, Celtic have found it difficult away from home in terms of keeping the ball, so Tuesday's result was a big blow for them.”
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