RONNY DEILA today insisted it was STUPID to ignore the brutal truth of John Collins' claim that Celtic are not tested enough in domestic football.

The Parkhead No.2 enraged many in the game – most notably Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes – when he said Scottish opponents did not have the pace and intelligence to hurt the champions.

Deila could not believe that McInnes and others felt Collins had spoken out of turn, with the manager claiming his assistant was only trying to state an "obvious" fact that his side face bigger challenges in Europe than in the domestic game.

The point Collins made was that his own side do not get punished in the Ladbrokes Premiership as they do at any level in Europe, which ironically McInnes touched on recently, and something Deila seized upon when asked for his thoughts on the weekend fall-out.

Deila said: "It is such a stupid thing to discuss. If the coaches in Scotland sat down and discussed this, we would not argue. It would be over after a minute. But because we are making an issue of this, it is just a circus. It is stupid.

“Everyone knows it is tougher to play in the Champions League than it is to play in the Scottish Premiership. It is also tougher to play in the Champions League than it is to play in the Norwegian League, Swedish League, Danish League or whatever.

"We have been the best team in Scotland for four years. Last year we won by 17 points. In the Champions League we meet tougher opponents. We have a lot of challenges in Scotland, but the level in Europe is very, very high.

“You get tested more defensively in the Champions League and you get punished more for mistakes. That’s not to disrespect Scottish football, it’s just truth. We meet the best teams in Europe. I think Derek McInnes agrees.

"He said that the team they played from Croatia tested them like no other team has done. So I think we all agree. This is creating a conflict that is not there. Of course it is tougher to play in Europe than it is in Scotland.”

Paul Hartley, the Dundee manager, joined in the criticism when he said: "I think it's being disrespectful. We try our best. We haven't got the budget of every other club and Celtic are way ahead of us, but I think, on our day, we have shown we can give them a game.

"They have already taken three players (Dundee United's Gary Mackay-Steven, Stuart Armstrong and Nadir Ciftci) from the Scottish Premiership, so it can't be that bad. They'll probably look at more players. Aberdeen ran Celtic close last year and just fell short. Aberdeen are strong, Hearts are strong."

Deila was particularly unhappy with the way Collins, his trusted lieutenant, was so publicly criticised by McInnes following Aberdeen’s victory over Kilmarnock at Pittodrie.

The manager, speaking ahead of tomorrow's Premiership visit to meet Gary Locke's Killie at Rugby Park, said: "He (McInnes) should call me if he is angry about it. What I can say is that if anyone calls John Collins disrespectful, then they don’t know John Collins.

"He is the most respectful guy I ever met in my life. His values are unbelievable. You have to be honest and tell it how it is to the fans and everyone else. That’s what newspapers are all about, to give information to the people.

“If it is hard to say that is it harder to play in the Champions League and that you get punished more there than you do in the Scottish league, then McInnes can be as angry as he wants for me; because that is just stupid.

"It is a truth he said himself about the team from Croatia.”

Deila could have skipper Scott Brown, Stuart Armstrong and Charlie Mulgrew available tomorrow night.