Gordon Smith: Malmo keeper’s comments on Celtic players have raised the temperature for return clash

HE who laughs last, laughs loudest.

It is a well-worn phrase and one which holds as true in football as it does in life.

In labelling Celtic’s players “pigs” and Leigh Griffiths “a child,” Malmo keeper Johan Wiland has certainly raised the temperature for Tuesday night’s Champions League return.

This after Jo Inge Berget’s goal deep in injury time had already ensured the Swedish leg would be a very lively affair anyway.

With so much at stake in these games, it is natural that emotions can run high.

Common sense suggests Wiland has felt aggrieved by some incident that happened in the match.

Interviewed soon after, he grasped the opportunity to vent his feelings.

The problem is, he has to line up against the men he has insulted all too soon.

And if as I believe is entirely possible Celtic can build on their 3-2 lead to make the group stages, then they are going to have a lot of fun having their say inside the Swedbank Stadion.

I experienced these sorts of situations a lot as a player.

Not so much in the Press, but very often on the pitch.

Guys would try and get into your head to put you off your game.

It never bothered me. You were playing in professional sport so you are going to get people trying to get an edge over you, whichever way they can.

I would always smile and laugh it off, not least because I found the ones who really stepped over the line would end up regretting it.

An example that sticks with me involved the former Dundee United manager, Ivan Golac.

I was playing for Brighton at the time and came up against Ivan, who was a stocky defender for Southampton.

He made a rash block on me. We got a free-kick and one of my team-mates scored from it.

As we walked away, I looked across at Ivan and mouthed “Unlucky” to him.

It must have struck a chord because as we were going back to the centre circle, he ran up and booted me full force up the backside.

Unbelievably the referee missed it.

But it obviously affected Ivan more than it did me because it put him off his game.

We won the points, and at full-time Ivan was the one that had to come over and make the apology to me.

You get some that won’t even do that. But, again, that is their loss.

We are all professionals, and in the years to come you can end up as friendly with the guys you play against who sometimes had a kick at you as the ones you played alongside.

In calling the Celtic players he had just faced “pigs”, Johan Wiland told his audience more about

himself that he did about Ronny Deila’s men.

We will find out for sure on Tuesday night just what effect those comments will have on proceedings.