Martin O’Neill returns to Celtic as interim manager alongside Shaun Maloney

Can't stop smiling after that, legend isn't the * word.

 

I’m still buzzing after that. Proper enjoyed that game which hasn’t been the case the last while. Feeling very emotional aswell watching MON and Maloney celebrating. Hopefully we can keep the momentum going Sunday

 

the mundials on with the laces, proper old school setup

 

Martin O’Neill described being back in the Celtic dugout as a more nerve-racking experience than taking his 11 plus exam in Northern Ireland.

He made the point that some of the players in the dressing room had no idea who he was and had not been born when he was last in charge of the Parkhead club in 2005. The 73-year-old handed a debut to 19-year-old forward Callum Osmand, who entered the fray in the second half with Celtic 4-0 ahead against Falkirk, which is how O’Neill’s first game back in interim charge finished.





He admitted he was anxious pre-match while contemplating a return to the dugout where he enjoyed so many successes. O’Neill thanked his players for ensuring he made a winning return as Celtic began making inroads into Hearts’ lead at the top of the Premiership.





They becalmed my dreadful insecurity problems,” he said. “I was concerned about the game and the usual things. One, letting myself down, which I have done so many times it is untrue, but also letting other people down at the football club.” He met major shareholder Dermot Desmond afterwards. The Irish financier was instrumental in bringing O'Neill back to the club following Brendan Rodgers' departure on Monday.





I just saw him for a couple of minutes and hopefully I’ll have a (longer) chat," he revealed. "I’ve not seen him for some time. If we’d been beaten I’d have regretted the call!”

O'Neill said his message to the players was to remind them they were winners. “Their confidence was low. But I said to them that some of the lads might not have any idea who I was, but then they are only about ten. However, we have quite a number of winners in this dressing room. And that is really important. And those lads have experienced some lows in the course of this season, but now it's time to fight back.”




The captain, he added, with reference to Callum McGregor, “is a really quality player”. But he stressed there were "quality performances all round". Johnny Kenny, who scored a double, has played himself into contention for a starting role against Rangers in Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup semi-final although Daizen Maeda also made his return from a hamstring injury. He replaced Kenny after 65 minutes.






On Kenny, O’Neill said: “He did really fine. He’s learning the game and took his goals like a proper striker and did really well. The physios said Maeda would get 35 minutes or so. How they calculate that, I don’t know. The things I have to learn!”

Fans started singing O’Neill’s name around the 20-minute mark, when it was still 0-0. “It was the most surreal thing in the world,” he said. “One minute you are sitting in a coffee shop in London on Monday afternoon – the coffee was dreadful by the way – and the next I get a call. It was the last thing on earth to think I would ever do another game.”

He addressed his comments on radio earlier that same day about believing it was Hearts’ time to win the league. He has now made a dent in his own prediction – the gap is now just six points between Hearts and Celtic at the top.




“I didn’t actually say – or did I? – that it would be a good thing for the SPL (sic) if Hearts win the league,” he said. “Paradoxically, I said it wouldn’t be great for the league if Celtic and Rangers were not involved. I am probably talking a lot of bollocks, really. Nothing has changed there!”

He also cleared up Kieran Tierney’s absence. The left back was not even named in the squad with Marcelo Saracchi deployed in his place instead. “He (Tierney) said he was feeling better, it is just a niggling thing,” he said. “I saw him in the dressing room before the game and he said he was feeling much better than he did, I know he played the game (v Hearts) but he said the injury, a stiffness as much as anything, was niggling him. But the wee laddie (Saracchi) who played at left back was great. He’s an international player, you know? I met him for the first time today. I asked him to go out and play. He said, ‘yes, that’s what I do!’”

 

Its nice to read comments from a Celtic manager and smile and feel poisitive.

Was at the stage recently were i would turn the tv when Rodgers came on. It was just soundbites about the club's dna etc

 

Martin O'Neill, best manager we've had since himself.

 

just a wee bit older than willie maley when he last took charge

 

Funny, I actually said the same thing a week or so back before any of this madness kicked off. That the way football was developing we were going to see a return to the style of the early 00s, and even said: What's MON up to?

I'm not suggesting he should get the job, but his style maybe isn't quite as out of touch as it was 5 years ago.

 

Very encouraging tbh.

 

What i loved was the fight, the grit and even to see long balls being pinged about. About * time to see some traditional football.

Playing it out the back constantly does not work anymore. That type of football are quickly stagnating around the world. Thank * for that.

 

The days of pep are done. Even the "genius" pep cant do it. Its been over played and figured out worldwide. Finally, entertaining attacking real football. Cannot wait for the weekend now.

 

We agree as we usually do my friend

Just go out as real * men and WIN the game. I dont give a * how its done lol thats what MON probably told them. Shackles off

Sarrachi was a real man.
Engels was a real man
McGregor

I could just continue. ONE game and we could all see the difference. Players even squaring up and fighting lol

 

Definitely feel like there was an issue of us overcomplicating the game doing death by possession … Martin got it spot on the other night when he said that football doesn’t need to be complicated.


That was the most I’ve enjoyed a game this season, nice direct attacking football that suits the players we’ve got.

Gives me hope that we can turn this season around.