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Five of the best football manager rants after Dick Campbell drops F-bomb
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From iconic touchline eruptions to unforgettable press conference rants, Scottish football has seen some legendary outbursts.
Neil Lennon during the press conference(Image: UGC)
Dick Campbell is one of Scottish football’s most outspoken figures but he isn’t the first manager to lose his cool.
From touchline meltdowns to unforgettable press conference tirades, the game has produced some legendary rants that live on long after the results have been forgotten. Here are five of the very best football manager rants that football fans will never tire of replaying.
1. Neil Lennon – Dubai defence meltdown (2021)
Neil Lennon hit back furiously at critics of Celtic’s controversial Dubai trip in January 2021, branding the backlash “hypocrisy” and a “barrage of absolute” nonsense. The then Hoops boss insisted no rules were broken, defended players having a drink on their day off, and accused politicians and pundits of “bullying” the club during the Covid-19 scandal.
2. Craig Levin accused ref of “bottling” Rangers match (2008)
Craig Levein launched a blistering attack on referee Mike McCurry after Dundee United’s 3-1 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox in May 2008, accusing the official of “bottling” key decisions. Levein claimed United were denied a blatant penalty and a perfectly good goal, questioned whether McCurry had the “balls” to make big calls at Ibrox, and was later fined £5,000 by the SFA despite the referee admitting mistakes.
Craig Levein and Mike McCurry at Ibrox(Image: SNS)
3. Derek Adams fumes at ‘shocking’ league standard (2023)
Derek Adams tore into the standard of Scottish football after Ross County were beaten by Dundee with the last kick of the game, branding the match “shocking” and “one of the worst games I’ve ever seen”. The then County boss claimed the quality in the Premiership was so poor that a League Two side he previously managed was “miles better”, questioning whether this was really what Scottish football had become.
4. Jim McLean attacks a reporter (2000)
Dundee United chairman and legendary former manager Jim McLean assaulted BBC Scotland reporter John Barnes following a 4-0 home defeat to Hearts in October 2000. Angered by questioning regarding manager Alex Smith’s future, McLean launched a physical attack, causing a cut lip, with the moment captured on camera. McLean subsequently resigned from all positions at the club.
5. Kevin Keegan – “I would love it” (1996)
The gold standard. The rant all rants are measured against. Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan absolutely lost it when responding to Sir Alex Ferguson’s comments during the 1995-96 title race. “I would love it if we beat them. Love it,” Keegan raged, his voice cracking as he leaned forward in his chair. Newcastle went on to lose the title — but Keegan’s emotional meltdown remains one of the most iconic moments in Premier League history.
READ MORE: SPFL manager Dick Campbell drops F-bomb in raging post-match rant after heavy defeat
