'my Wife Said I'd Mess It Up' But O'neill Sails Celtic Through Choppy Waters

It is precisely 1 period since mostly shareholder Dermot Desmond asked Celtic fable Martin O'Neill to return to Parkhead successful nan aftermath of Brendan Rodgers' acrimonious resignation.

The 73-year-old had been retired of guidance for much than six years and walked into a nine that was floundering connected and disconnected nan pitch.

They were 8 points down Hearts astatine nan apical of nan Scottish Premiership aft a 3-1 reverse astatine Tynecastle and instrumentality protests against nan committee were successful afloat swing.

That off-field animosity remains, but O'Neill has steered Celtic done choppy waters connected nan parkland - moreover if 1 of those closest to him feared he would struggle to.

Thursday's 3-1 triumph astatine Feyenoord was Celtic's first distant triumph successful Europe since November 2021 and O'Neill's 5th triumph from six matches successful charge.

Under his watch, they person moved wrong 4 points of Hearts pinch a crippled successful manus and hit Rangers to scope nan League Cup last adjacent month.

"It's difficult to say," O'Neill said, erstwhile asked what he thought erstwhile he took charge. "My 2 daughters were each for going for it, but my woman said I'd astir apt messiness it up.

"I haven't messed it up truthful far. It's been great. The results are what you unrecorded by and they've been terrific."

Goals from nan Hyun-jun and Reo Hatate put Celtic successful beforehand aft Ayase Ueda had fixed Feyenoord nan lead, earlier Benjamin Nygren's precocious extremity sealed a landmark victory.

It is Celtic's first triumph successful nan Netherlands since 2001, erstwhile O'Neill was first successful complaint and they knocked Ajax retired of Champions League qualifying.

"We played really well," he said. "There was a play wherever we were dominant, controlling nan shot and exuding a batch of confidence, which was beautiful to see.

"Going a extremity behind, we could person crumbled. But we showed characteristic and resilience and past erstwhile we sewage nan equaliser, nan assurance flooded into nan side.

"I said to nan players 'you will get a chance to play tonight'. We took that chance."

Celtic play Roma and Utrecht astatine home, either broadside of a travel to Bologna, successful their 3 remaining league-stage fixtures. They beryllium 21st successful nan 36-team array connected 7 points.

"Judging from past season, you are looking for 10 aliases 11 points to qualify," O'Neill added. "It won't beryllium easy, but Celtic person 2 location games and nan assurance is successful nan broadside now."

Columbus Crew caput coach Wilfried Nancy appears adjacent to being appointed arsenic Rodgers' imperishable successor and O'Neill thinks Celtic are good placed for nan caller man successful charge, whoever it whitethorn be.

"He has sewage immoderate players who are large winners," O'Neill said. "I'm judge he will thin connected immoderate of those lads and past it's astir improving immoderate of nan different players.

"The restoration of assurance is large and it's keeping it going aft that.

"Winning distant from location is terrific - it's not easy distant from location successful Europe. It gives them belief that they tin travel and compete."

Celtic fans belted retired O'Neill's sanction during nan closing stages successful Rotterdam, paying tribute to 1 of their favourite sons.

He won 7 awesome honours during his first stint arsenic head and nan measurement he has restored nan nine to winning ways during specified a testing spell has only enhanced his estimation among nan supporters.

"I told my 2 brothers who came to nan crippled to commencement nan chant, truthful they must person done so," O'Neill joked. "Might arsenic good bask it while it lasts.

"In nan dressing room, nan lads are afloat of it."

One of those full-of-it lads is Luke McCowan, who was tasked pinch a somewhat unfamiliar domiciled retired wide successful Rotterdam and credited O'Neill for giving Celtic nan assurance to return nan crippled to Feyenoord.

"His main connection was that if we take sides set-pieces good past our qualities will return over, and that was nan assurance he gave us," nan midfielder said.

"He's amazing, an unbelievable character. He's capable to return immoderate power disconnected a superior business and ever pushes us.

"You tin show he's been a apical head present and that's why he's truthful respected. His champion value is man guidance - he's been class.

"I'd emotion to person seen him 20 years younger erstwhile he astir apt had much power and humour."

I tin understand Celtic wanting to look to nan future, but possibly nan evident solution is staring them successful nan face.

With nan group of players that was really struggling successful nan second weeks and months of Rodgers' reign, O'Neill's sewage a large triumph connected nan roadworthy successful Europe connected nan large stage.

They don't do that very often. And he's done it connected his 2nd attempt.

It conscionable shows you nan magnetism of nan man. Even though he's 73 and he hasn't done it for a number of years, he's still sewage it.

Craig: The O'Neill effect, awesome results nether this impermanent Manager. Wouldn't mind him staying.

Mark: Celtic's champion consequence of nan play and our champion European consequence successful years. Take a front Martin O'Neill, what a legend.

Peter: Celtic should support Martin connected to counsel nan caller manager. Wouldn't that beryllium deserving for him and nan club?

Kevin: Absolutely superb display. Martin O'Neill is nan king of kings.

Dave: Great capacity and awesome consciousness from Martin O'Neill, he surely knows what he is doing. Well done boys.