Elena Sadiku accuses Rangers boss Jo Potter of trying to look hard as Celtic coach seethes over Hampden huddle dig

Seething Celtic women’s boss Elena Sadiku has accused Rangers rival Jo Potter of trying to look hard at Hampden last weekend.

The Rangers manager was irritated by Celtic’s lingering pre-match huddle that delayed the Scottish Cup semi-final kick-off by 10 seconds. After the game Potter lashed out, saying “when you’ve got to use tactics like that it says more about your mindset”. Rangers went on to win comfortably 2-0.

Sadiku, though, was furious at the criticism and insists nothing will be changing ahead of the SWPL derby on Monday at Broadwood. She said: “We always do the same thing before games. I think she just wants to have something to say and be tough about it. I don’t care what she’s saying. If she says that’s our mindset then she can just think that because I couldn’t care less. It is something that she wants to say to feel like she’s better or whatever. I don’t care. We always do the same thing.

“I don’t know where she got that from but if it’s something she wants to focus on let her focus on it. If you look at the previous games – look at the huddle and the time it takes. I have no idea.”

Potter had also suggested Rangers are a fitter team than Celtic as she revealed she had been relaxed about the potential for extra-time at Hampden, a remark that had also raised the hackles of Sadiku.

“Let her keep talking,” she said. “I have heard it. Let her talk. I am not going to say something about another team because it is not my business and that is just how I am. If she wants to give comments about other teams or say something like that, let her say it.

“You know, I can say we didn’t look like we have been looking lately (on Saturday) but if you look at the game we won against them last month I could also say we looked much fitter. I didn’t. I wanted to praise our performance and that is what is the most important thing for me.”

Both clubs sit top of the table on the same points ahead of Monday’s clash.