Mark Viduka was at the centre of Parkhead conversation, even though he was several hundred miles distant in Munich. The Leeds United striker was revealed to have told his new manager, David O'Leary, that he only operated at 70 per cent while in Glasgow and to expect an improvement forthwith.

It was the kind of ill-advised comment guaranteed to infuriate those who part with their green-backs every week to follow Celtic at home and abroad and O'Leary didn't help matters by claiming that the player actually took a pay cut when moving to Yorkshire.

That was somewhat hard to believe for Viduka observers and O'Neill's eyebrows had to be removed from the ceiling at the suggestion as he took the opportunity, while previewing tonight's return UEFA Cup tie against Jeunesse Esch of Luxembourg, to enter the debate.

'I saw what Mark Viduka has been saying and to my mind he was doing a disservice to Scottish football,' said O'Neill. 'It was not too pleasing either for Celtic.

'There are a couple of points I wouldn't mind clearing up. Mark can say what he wants but David O'Leary is wrong to say I offered Viduka a new contract. I didn't. His contract had time to run and actually included a pay rise this summer but his mind was made up.

'I tried to persuade him to stay having seen him from afar but I couldn't have convinced him otherwise. But I did not offer him a new contract to stay and I would be massively surprised - massively surprised - if Mark took less money to go to Leeds.'

O'Leary was further quoted as saying he saw Viduka's scoring exploits in Glasgow as 'no benchmark' given the standards and, asked if that was an attitude prevalent in the Premiership, was wise enough to say only that most football people in England 'keep an eye out' for the Old Firm. O'Neill didn't say whether the eyes looked down a nose and simply added that he would be 'surprised' if O'Leary would pay £6m for someone whose goals didn't count.

That issue having been set aside, the Celtic manager took advice on the arirthmetic of UEFA's co-efficient system in advance of the second leg with Jeunesse with a 4- 0 advantage having been secured in Luxembourg.

It was revealed on Monday that every match, even in qualifying rounds, counts for Scottish football's status, and O'Neill said: 'We will be going all out to win the match even with a 4-0 lead. We have to win the game for the sake of Scotland, although I will make a few changes from the team that beat Hearts at Tynecastle.'

Mark Burchill will start the match, which should suit Preston manager Davie Moyes as he plans a spying trip which looks sure to be followed by a £1.5m bid.

Eyal Berkovic is also likely to start but, although Paul Lambert has asked to play, O'Neill may decide against his involvement given the midfielder was booked in the first leg.

'That's a very good point. I didn't mention that to the players this morning but I will before kick-off - that I don't want any silly bookings in a game like this.'

Goalkeeper Barry- John Corr, Simon Lynch and Liam Miller are also in the squad, although defender Alan Stubbs and striker Tommy Johnson are injured.

Berkovic's comments that he is less than happy with life as a substitute don't concern O'Neill, who said: 'I'd expect someone to be unhappy if they are out of the team. I knocked on Brian Clough's door 52 consecutive weeks after being left out.

'We need a large squad and I can't play everyone. Stilian Petrov has deserved to play. As to whether Berkovic and Lubomir Moravcik can play in the same team, I don't know enough about that yet although I don't see why not.'

O'Neill insisted his preparations for tonight's game have not been overshadowed by the prospect of Sunday's first Old Firm experience for the manager and a couple of his players although he was careful to make it clear he isn't so naive as to talk down the visit of Rangers.

Belgian Joos Valgaeren will make his derby debut in that fixture but the defender was straight-batting all talk about facing Billy Dodds but not Emile Mpenza, his international team-mate, who rejected a move to Scotland.

On Viduka, he said: 'From what I have experienced so far of Scottish football, I feel you have to give 100 per cent.'