JIM GOODWIN admits Martin O’Neill is a Celtic legend and has “a certain aura” about his presence.
However, the Dundee United boss will do his utmost to wreck the iconic gaffer’s second homecoming this season when the teams meet at Parkhead on Saturday.
O’Neill has answered another SOS from the Hoops hierarchy during a troubled campaign where they are now in jeopardy of blowing their fifth successive title.
The charming Irishman stepped up in late October to take interim charge of the team following the swift exit from Brendan Rodgers following back-to-back league defeats from Dundee at Dens Park and Hearts at Tynecastle.
THE WAY AHEAD…Martin O’Neill makes his point.
O’Neill won seven of his eight games at the helm before making way on December 3 for the arrival of Wilfried Nancy as the long-term successor on a two-and-a-half year contract.
However, it turned out to be a disastrous appointment with the Frenchman losing six of his eight matches before being sacked earlier this week.
Cue another emergency call to O’Neill, who first managed the club for five years after arriving in the summer of 2000, and the 73-year-old team chief will now be in control until at least the end of the campaign.
Goodwin, though, is aiming to torpedo his old club in the east of Glasgow at the weekend with the title holders already trailing leaders Hearts by six points.
He recalls his first meeting with O’Neill while he was a young prospect at Parkhead and had made one appearance – ironically a 2-0 win over United – as Kenny Dalglish’s caretaker stint came to an end as the tumultuous 1999/2000 term came to a halt.
The Tayside chief said: “I remember Martin came in and very quickly realised that I wasn’t good enough. He put me right back down in the reserves!
WINNER AND LOSER…Jim Goodwin barks out instructions as Wilfried Nancy remains silent in Dundee United’s 2-1 victory over Celtic last month.
“He carried a great deal of respect within the dressing room. There were some strong characters such as Chris Sutton, John Hartson, Paul Lambert, Neil Lennon; lots of big guys that have done great things in their career.
“But as soon as Martin entered the room, you could hear a pin drop.
“He had a certain aura about him that demanded respect from all the players. He was brilliant at a time when Celtic were going through a difficult patch.
“Martin sorted things out pretty quickly and they had good success together.”
Goodwin won 2-1 against Nancy’s faltering Celtic at Tannadice last month after trailing to a Daizen Maeda strike at half-time, but he realises it will be a different ballgame this time around.
The United team chief, speaking to the Dundee Courier, continued: “We know that there will be a much more positive atmosphere at the stadium on Saturday.
“It’s very similar to the time when we went to Ibrox and Russell Martin lost his job in the build-up to that game.
“The mood in the stadium was different to the one that was there previously.
“The Celtic supporters have got what they want. Martin O’Neill is a real legend of the club.
TORTURE ON TAYSIDE…Wilfried Nancy tries to explain tactics to Callum McGregor as Jim Goodwin looks on.
“We know how well organised Celtic are going to be under Martin O’Neill.
“But we need to go there and put on a similar level of performance to the one that we put in at Tannadice the second 45 minutes.”
Reflecting on the quickfire sacking of Nancy, Goodwin added: “I’ve always got sympathy for managers losing their jobs. We’re in a very difficult position, as we all know.
“But when you’re at a club like Celtic – with the resources that they have available to them and that quality of player – and lose six in eight games, I always think you’re very close to something like that happening.
“I don’t think it’s a great surprise to too many people in the game.
“I’m disappointed for him, albeit I didn’t get an opportunity to know the guy. I’m sure he’ll be hurting because he certainly didn’t carry a lot of luck in the couple of months that he was in the job.”
Now it’s all eyes back on O’Neill once again as he prepares to relaunch the champions’ resurgence campaign.
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