Camilo Duran hits back at Kris Boyd over criticism of Celtic star’s attitude against Hibs

Camilo Duran decided Celtic’s dramatic victory over Hibernian with a superb goal, but questions about his body language emerged despite another impressive display from the Colombian forward.

Martin O’Neill selected Duran on the right flank to make room for Kasper Hogh in the starting line-up. That decision came after Duran had scored and registered two assists while playing centrally in Celtic’s victory over Hearts.

Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd questioned whether Duran was unhappy about being moved out wide, while Chris Sutton also criticised O’Neill’s decision to deploy the in-form attacker on the wing.

Camilo Duran responds after Kris Boyd raises questions over his attitude

Duran has now offered his perspective after finding the net for the tenth time this season, making it clear that his priority remains helping Celtic secure victories.

Speaking to CelticPlayer after the win, the Colombian expressed his delight at scoring the decisive goal and stressed the importance of the result.

“I’m really happy to get the victory, that’s what’s important. Now we just need to reset, rest and focus on the next game,” Duran said.

He acknowledged that Celtic had expected a difficult afternoon at Easter Road but was pleased to make the difference when the opportunity arrived.

“We knew it would be a tough game here in this stadium. Thankfully it fell to me and it was a good goal, and I’m happy to help the team.”

Duran also spoke warmly about representing the Hoops, describing it as an honour to wear the shirt and enjoy both matches and training sessions.

His positive comments come after Boyd suggested during Sky Sports’ coverage that the striker might have been frustrated by his position on the pitch.

The former Rangers forward acknowledged that it would be easy to interpret Duran’s body language as sulking, although he also pointed out that scoring the winning goal would naturally leave the player satisfied.

Boyd further suggested that Duran could have understandable reasons to feel disappointed about playing out wide, particularly given his goalscoring form compared with Hogh.

However, Duran’s public comments have given little indication that he is unhappy at Celtic. He has previously spoken positively about playing alongside Hogh and indicated that he is prepared to fulfil whatever role O’Neill asks of him.

Chris Sutton’s criticism of Celtic’s team selection raises a separate question

While Boyd focused on Duran’s apparent body language, Sutton’s concerns centred more on O’Neill’s tactical decision to use the Colombian on the right wing.

With ten goals already to his name this season, Duran has presented Celtic’s manager with a selection dilemma. His recent performances suggest he could be particularly effective when deployed through the middle.

Against Hibs, O’Neill eventually moved Duran into a central position after Hogh was substituted in the 64th minute. Despite starting on the right, the Colombian had already delivered the decisive moment, cutting inside before curling a superb finish beyond goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger.

That ability to threaten from a wider position gives Celtic another attacking option, but his record in front of goal makes the argument for using him centrally difficult to ignore.

Hogh, meanwhile, has scored three times this season, while Duran continues to produce goals regardless of where he is deployed.

With ten goals before November and another match-winning contribution against Hibs, Duran has strengthened his case for more opportunities as Celtic’s main striker. Although he has not publicly complained about playing on the wing, O’Neill must weigh up whether the team would benefit from keeping his most productive forward in a central role.