EXCLUSIVE: Martin O’Neill on staying at Celtic, Desmond protest, fan boycott & more!

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Martin O’Neill on staying at Celtic, the Desmond protest and the fan boycott

This interview covers why Martin O’Neill chose to stay on after a poor run and how he assesses Celtic’s recent defeats and squad integration. He defends his reading of the Rangers game, stresses that Celtic must rediscover their work ethic and resilience, criticises the St Andrews protest and calls the fan boycott sad.

► Subscribe to Sky Sports Football: http://bit.ly/SSFootballSub ► Watch Sky Sports with NOW: https://bit.ly/NOWFootballYT Sky Sports sat down with Celtic manager Martin O’Neill who discussed his decision to stay at the club after three consecutive defeats, comments from his players in recent weeks, supporters protesting against the club’s largest shareholder Dermot Desmond, a planned fan boycott and more. martinoneill scottishpremiership Celtic 00:00 - Martin O'Neill on international break 01:30 - His thoughts on bringing up his future 02:40 - Other reflections 04:10 - "I've been in the game a long time" 05:00 - Reflections on Rangers' game 05:51 - Any regrets on approach to that game? 06:55 - Response to Callum McGregor comments 08:28 - Are Celtic 'sticking to the script?' 09:22 - Do you know your best starting XI? 12:01 - Have Celtic had a dropoff in mentality? 12:34 - Is this when new player realise the mentality expectations? 13:44 - Off field protests 16:10 - How difficult of a position is it for you? ► EFL highlights: https://bit.ly/EFLHighlights2627 ► EFL Cup highlights: https://bit.ly/CarabaoCupHL ► SPFL highlights: https://bit.ly/SPFLHighlights2627 ► Bundesliga highlights: https://bit.ly/BundesligaHighlights2627 ► Buy this season’s shirts: https://bit.ly/SkySportsShop More from Sky Sports on YouTube: ► Sky Sports: http://bit.ly/SkySportsSub ► Sky Sports Boxing: http://bit.ly/SSBoxingSub ► Sky Sports Cricket: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyCricket ► Sky Sports Darts: https://bit.ly/SubSkySportsDarts ► Sky Sports F1: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyF1 ► Sky Sports Golf: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsGolf ► Sky Sports News: http://bit.ly/SkySportsNewsSub ► Sky Sports Premier League: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsPL ► Sky Sports Retro: http://bit.ly/SkySportsRetroSub ► Sky Sports WSL: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsWSL ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkySportsFootball ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skysportsfootball ► TikTok…

Transcript

Mark, when we last spoke, I said I would see you after the international break, and here we are. Um, how do you utilize your break? >> Yeah. Well, uh, I thought you were going to ask me how long it took me to, uh, to make my mind up about staying on the football. >> That was next, >> was it? Right. Okay. So, not very long to tell you the truth, Luke. I was um, naturally it been a poor week. Was the culmination of that. Then the international break was coming up at that particular time. So, it would give you a little bit of time to to consider things. Yeah. But um uh deep down uh I wanted to stay and continue the battle and um which is going to be and just um get a get um renewed energy and um determination all those type of things that you're talking about. So yeah, here we are. >> Did the break come at the right time for you in the end? >> It it probably did really. Yeah, I think that I had uh um the summer break was very very short. It didn't didn't have much time. although you don't have that much time now um obviously with the World Cup and things like this year although I uh I watched it from a distance but there didn't seem to be that much time and uh so in terms of trying to get a family holiday that was um curtailed somewhat then so it was a chance to get away uh for a few days just the usual phrase recharge the batteries and yeah raring to go want to try and uh want to try and win the league if we can and uh that's what we're here for. you hinted at in your media conference after the Rangers game. How close were you to thinking, you know what, enough's enough? >> No, not not really. I listen, I please uh obviously disappointed disappointed with the results. Um and just I I think I think do you know what if there hadn't been an international break coming up at the time, I I wouldn't even have mentioned it then, but it was maybe just time for a a bit of reflection. And one never knows you know about um when you lose football matches you know uh people might think that you know bored might think well you know maybe time times um time's pressing. So um yeah and um I cannot be um I cannot uh um you know control certain things at the end of it. I try and control what I what I think I can control. But deep down yeah I just I really did want to um renew the challenge. Did you speak to the family about that or anyone at the club or was that just more in your own mind being set? >> More in my own mind, I think, as much as anything else. Of course, you you'll mention it to your family, but they were uh they were all on for um me staying off at the football club. Yeah. In fact, they were pushing me out the door. >> You said you would have some self-reflection. And what else did you reflect on and what were your conclusions? Well, right, if you if you if you want them, you know, sometimes you can go really deeply into them. Uh you do, as I said to you before, you t tend to reflect u more often on matches that you've lost rather than games that you've won. You just continue on. And um I think there was a couple of things to consider. one that we had um we had lost uh some uh I personally speaking I think every game that Celtic has ever played since um since it um became a professional football club is uh is is tough. So um and um you can't lose too many games. So it was it was a combination of that of that particular week really thinking about it. Then when I started to reflect on the games, thought to myself, well, the game uh Rangers were definitely better than us in the um in the uh in the first game, the League Cup match, I thought that we could have scored a couple of goals. If if ever I look at it positively, we thought we could have scored a couple of goals against Ference Varus before we conceded. And in all honesty, I didn't think there was much between the teams on the on the um on the Sunday uh league game. had we if spots and maybe said to you always keep them out of the equation but we had a we hit the bar just before they scored and we had a great chance just after Halime those things can change it so um on reflection you know uh cannot be really two down and not going to be and uh we've got a long battle ahead we're still I know it sounds crazy people but we're actually still in front in the league at the moment >> you said feeling down and that was something I've actually written down here but you seem to just feel down. What picks you back up again? What is it? Is it just going back into the battle or >> No, this is I I've been in I've been in the game a long time, a really long time. And uh I think that um I think there are moments when when you you you do this. Obviously, I think if you speak to any single manager, no matter no matter whether he's just starting the game or whether he's got a lot of experience behind him, he'll feel he'll feel you feel euphoric when you've won football matches and uh and naturally you'll feel disappointed with things. So, it it was really that as much as anything else, but um seriously, probably no more than that. >> You mentioned the Rangers game. You you said to me after the game, you said there that you feel it was close. Others will feel well when you look at the stats that wasn't the case. >> Well, sorry I'm sorry, finish it. Sorry. >> No, no, I was just in terms of some some will feel that's not the case and maybe Rangers had a lot more chances and and controlled a lot more of the game. Is that is that >> No, no, I don't. I genuinely don't think that at all. Um I think that um I think that you can read anything you want into a certain stat. you know um players get s signed sometimes in stats rather than rather than performances like anything else and um no I did I didn't see it that I I have to I have to use my own judgment in these particular things and I have to try and analyze that and um yeah and that's my conclusion >> in terms of the way you set up was that something that looking back in hindsight you regret or do you think that was >> again we over analyze things like I said you can you can absolutely do that. you can there was no uh when we had won what was it I think we had won up until that game I think we'd won about uh including last season's great uh historic uh victory um we had won I think 13 league games in the trot and I don't think there was ever questions once about about uh what tactics we employed what we didn't do uh there was no talk certainly no talk in the in the um in the uh the split the games that we won no talk at 12 and we'd won all five games. So I just I I take that that's the nature of it. Gosh, do you know what I actually remember starting out in the game manager at Wickham Wanders and we had won quite a number of games in succession. We lost the game and I was actually questioned about the tact. So kind of it it's not it's always there so you don't it's it's part of the game. Cal McGregor said after the Ibro game that he felt maybe Celtic didn't played too much like individuals. Cameron Carter Vickers said that Celtic played a bit random after the the defeat to Rangers at Celtic Park. What do you think they meant and what do you need to fix? >> Right. Okay. So, and in terms of in terms of um Carter Vigers's comment uh which I didn't know about until about four or five days later at the end of the day uh I I really don't know. Um but in terms of what Callum was saying I think yeah I understood that there because what we have at the football club we have um uh for one of better words modus operandi in the sense that what we do is that we have got a a high work ethic really high work ethic and uh certain individuals last season drove that on immensely you know you're talking about Dyson Ma pe people like this here at the football club. So, new players coming in having to learn that and having to learn it and having to learn it quickly as well too that what this football club is all about. You cannot afford to lose games. You cannot afford for 10 or 15 minutes of unless you're three or four nil up with about a minute to go. You cannot afford to drop. And I think that was the I think that was the point that Callum was making. And that's something that we have to as a as a unit, as a group of people, including coaches, manager, I think that we have to address. And I think I think that that was I think that that was an important point. >> Carter has also said that sometimes you need a script and you need to be able to stick to it when times get tough. >> Do you know what exactly what he means there is that maybe >> and no you keep telling me what Carrick Vickers has has said. You know I I don't um I don't accept that point at all. Um and the reason I don't is because um we last season last season in the most vital game of the season which we won at home. We were behind against Hearts and we got an equalizer and now time's pressing. We've we've gone. We're pressing. We're pressing. We're pressing. We hit the post. We still can't get a goal. And the last 20 minutes we So we have to go. You have to risk things. So we went three at the back which we had never practiced before and we won. So this is the point. So we came off script to win the title >> with that. Then when you look at you mentioned changes, >> do you feel you yourself and your coaches [clears throat] know the best starting 11 and the best setup just now given the change in terms of players leaving players coming in and exactly how to >> No, we're getting to know the young the the new players that are coming to the football club. They're getting to know us. They're getting to know our ways. Players who have been at other football clubs will might even have a fundamental difference in terms of the way coaching is taking place. whatever it may be. So they have to get used to that and we have to get used to them. So what you do is that you do as much homework as you possibly can and the players but eventually there'll be nuances here there and everywhere where they have to accept you know this new players coming in players some players take off immediately which is terrific for a football club. Other ones take a little bit of time. So your point about it um and it's not a sign of weakness. Do do we know exactly what our best side is at this minute? No. we we should do when the players settle in here to the football club, the new players I'm talking about. >> Where do you feel they're at now having had the break and having more time to work with? >> Well, it's right. Okay. So, the non- international players we had time to work with, you know, but there's a heck of a group away at this minute and we've just arrived back this morning. So, this is um that's the uh that's the difficulty with it. And what we have is that we have an enormous schedule coming up now, you know. So we will go we will go um Sunday Thursday Sunday Thursday whatever it is now for a while even the midweek where we don't have a European game we have a league game as well too. So from here right through until um the next international break I think that we go we go what is it about nine games in about 20 26 or 27 days whatever it is and so there's no rest bite so all of those things that you talk about um um you know will take a little bit of time but as each game goes on players should be able to you know figure out exactly what what is required but players deep down know what's required at the football club We we have we have to win and um and it would be nice to play in a manner that is exceptionally pleasing the whole way. Last last year we had to come back from uh the international bracket against Dundee United and um um did I think that we need to win all the games? I thought we might be able to afford to drop two points. As it turns out we weren't. So so the work ethic was incredibly strong. So once we get back to that again and I'm hoping that we should be okay. >> Something you had in that period as well and you you mentioned it is mentality and resilience. Is that something you need to get back to that sort of level? >> Right. Good point. I think that those things will always be questioned when you lose the games and you may well have a point. Yes. The answer is to to your question is that yeah we have to get back to the to that. So if there's been a drop off in that there then we have to get back because that is for us that's the only way that we can win football matches. It has to be at a at a a level like like like you've not seen before. >> As you said you until that last week in the league. >> You'd been perfect. You'd been up there >> still there just now. Is is this when some of the new players realize that the minute there is a defeat at Celtic, the mentality has to be, you know, because you might get asked questions about what you've done, they're going to have that scrutiny as well. Is that something you have to get up to speed with? >> Of of course I I've listen I've I've been around the football club quite some considerable time and nothing's really changed. Every single defeat is a crisis. It's been like that. So that's that. And you know what? There's something there's something really good about that. That's that you know so when you lose a couple of guys we lost we lost the the the three matches in a week which is bit unusual certain certainly um in in my time as manager be unusual. Yeah, of course you have to think right we've got to get back we've got to get back to the thing and I think that we are one we're capable of doing it but I I I I take your point entirely about the um you know defeat defeat is a crisis and as I said to you there's something I'm probably using the wrong word but something quite rewarding about that that that's what you have to do this is what the football club is about you have to win >> and that's something that you can have a meaningful impact on how difficult is it to have an impact on what's going on off the field because there's been protests again. There seems to be you mentioned how important harmony was at the club and you were able to >> to help facilitate that last season. Are you worried that it's going to go back to basically you're back to where you are this time last year? >> Well, two points. I did I I I thought the protest at the at the go uh the golf club the um uh St. Andrews uh yeah didn't agree with that at all. I didn't think that was the Celtic way at all. I mean we decrieded rangers for wearing balaclavas last season and there we were doing that ourselves. So not not not not for me at all you know not not not that form of protest at all. And um so but from my my my viewpoint I think totally agree with you. I can only control I've learned now to only there's certain things I cannot control. I cannot control the supporters and I cannot control the media like so and I've stopped worrying about that you know quite some time and I try and focus on what I think I can um influence in that sense and that's probably my relationship with the players. >> The Green Brigade said they're not going to go to Europa League games now or Scottish Cup games. Is that >> is that going to be a miss in the crowd or is that disappointing? just no I I disappointing sad as it is really because I I came into this situation this time last year and uh there was a bit of a a rumpus and it seems to rear its head again. I'll tell you what I did thought I to I thought that when the football club and it's the last time I'm going to mention this at the la when that football club was united I thought I thought that together the players and the supporters were unbeatable. That's what I thought and that's and um uh when I said to you I thought we might be able to drop two points in the last seven games maybe thinking of some of the away matches but uh certainly at home I felt that uh if the crowd got right behind us that we would be we would be very very difficult to to to uh to um get beaten as it proved the case. So as I said to you things I cannot control anymore and I'm going to stop concerning myself. I have to try and win football matches as a manager and I try and do that there by things that I think I can influence and that as I said to relationship with players. >> Just finally on that then this will be the last one. How difficult a position is it for you as the manager as the figurehead because some of the fans might want to see you coming out and backing them be it on transfers or on how the club's run. You've been here for a long time over various spells. Is it difficult for you because >> you're employed by the football club. You have to do the best for the football club, but the fans might want to hear from you and might want that backing some of those. >> Well, the fans No, the fans the fans do hear me. I I' I've been uh I've been given the same message out this time last year. I said the same thing and it is sad, but as I said to you, I'm not in control of that. I'm not not in control. You mentioned being a figurehead of the football club. I'm a football manager at the end of it all. My job is depending on results as you keep reminding me and and quite rightly so as well too. So um and that's that's what I have to try and focus on as much as possible. Would I love a United Celtic football club? Would I like to see a scene like I thought I will never witness again in many aspects? Well, two things really. [clears throat] 80,000 fans descending upon Seville, not one arrest. The scenes at the end of the game against uh against Hearts were just something that I will I will I'll cherish forever at the end of the day. Can they can they come back again? I'd love to see we can.