An uneasy peace settled over Parkhead last night as the Celtic players, who wanted the club to give generously, ended up doing precisely that themselves - to charity.

Managing director Fergus McCann met with the first team squad yesterday and made it clear the club's original offer of European win bonuses must stand.

The only change, following Monday's non-show by three players at a planned Umbro photocall, is that £50,000 of the pool money allocated now goes to a local children's hospital.

The Schiehallion Unit at Glasgow's Yorkhill Hospital for terminally ill children is the main beneficiary of the dispute before tonight's home tie with Croatia Zagreb.

The players' claim that the bonuses on offer for reaching the European Champions' League were comparatively low was dismissed by McCann after he contacted leading Premiership clubs.

Now he insists the matter is at an end, albeit one senses temporarily, but conceded the players, whose only comment was a brief statement read by captain Tom Boyd, were less than happy.

"We had a long meeting but there was no way it was going to change, really I felt they had to understand the club's position was totally defensible and theirs was indefensible," said McCann.

"I would like to think we can now get on with this game, and I hope the players feel the same way because that is the focus of the coach Jozef Venglos.

"I felt this was a matter where we made a statement, and I think the players understand that as do the public - this is to show where we have to put our priorities in life.

"The players were not very happy, but we felt it was the appropriate thing to do, and I gave them a fairly strong message about it.

"I told them it was not helpful to us, our sponsors or them, what happened yesterday, and I think they should get a reality check."

McCann added that he felt the players were above all lacking a sense of perspective about the financial struggles faced in everyday life, and that was the thinking behind the charity donation.

He said they had thought long and hard before deciding to pay the original bonus to the players minus the £50,000 which would be given to the hospital.

"There are some people who are struggling with a salary let alone getting a bonus, some don't even have a salary at all and some people don't have much of a life to look forward to," he added.

McCann admitted the dispute could resurface at a later date, should Celtic make lasting progress in Europe this season. "There may well be more discussions between the club and players along these lines which is rather regrettable," he said.

"I don't feel this is an isolated case but I think some perspective is being lost here, players are paid to win and paid to play.

"We were reasonable and generous, win bonuses are not an entitlement, it is something the club does in conjunction with players and they have had an input on that.

"But it is a matter of attitudes and understanding of what the priorities are, and we are sending a message today that we feel we have done more than enough.

"If we lose this match, the £50,000 has still gone, and the right people have got it.

Celtic head coach Jozef Venglos last night pledged he was certain his players' commitment against Zagreb would be undiminished by the untimely dispute.

He made it clear the attitude must be business as usual ahead of a match for which midfielder Craig Burley is a major injury doubt because of a knee problem.

Venglos said: "I am convinced we will be at our best mentally because our professional, experienced players will show spirit and determination.

"I have no feelings why they should not do that, I still believe in my players they will show the supporters their qualities in pursuit of a common target."

But the Slovakian revealed he had played no part in discussions relating to bonuses, preferring to consider the controversy further proof of football's "unpredictable" nature.

He added with a grin: "In this game there are some things you can influence and there are some things you are not able to influence."