A FEW MONTHS AGO, Martin O’Neill would naver have believed he would be celebrating his 74th birthday at Ibrox, of all places.
However, that’s exactly what is in store for the genial Irishman as he takes the champions across Glasgow for tomorrow’s midday clash with Danny Rohl’s side who are two points ahead with an extra game played.
It’s been a whirlwind period for O’Neill who stepped up in late October to take charge in an interim capacity following Brendan Rodgers’ hasty exit.
He stood down to make way for Wilfried Nancy, but just 33 chaotic days and six losses in eight outings, O’Neill was back in control until the end of the season, at least.
And it was all systems go for the stand-in gaffer yesterday when he arrived back in Glasgow after a sleepover in Stuttgart following the Hoops’ 1-0 Europa League win over the Bundesliga club.
It was straight to Parkhead for the pre-match media conference where he had a quickfire reaction to the question of celebrating his 74th anniversary in Govan.
O’Neill quipped: “I’ve not thought about a birthday since I was 49! I couldn’t care less.”
Focusing on the actual encounter that could go a long way to Celtic lifting a fifth successive title, the boss said: “I’ve lived down south now for quite some considerable time and people still talk about this fixture.
“And I know just a little bit of lustre has gone from the away fans not having the numbers they used to have. Hopefully, that will change and we have the full number going the following Sunday for the Cup game.
“But when it’s sorted out in the league matches it’s a phenomenal fixture and it’s great to know big people down south think the same even now, which is great.
“For me, I never thought for one moment I’d ever be back at Ibrox again and now I am. So, I’m genuinely looking forward to it, perversely!
“But when it’s all over, to quote the great Walter Smith, it’s relief rather than anything else. I think that’s what he once said and I totally agree with it.”
O’Neill, speaking to the Daily Record, remarked: “That passion is still there. Ibrox is a fantastic stadium. Would I expect to get plenty of abuse? Absolutely. Absolutely. No problem.
“I just hope it’s the same when Danny arrives here!
“But that’s the fixture. You wouldn’t have it any other way. I mean it, you would not have it any other way.
“And it’s been great. I’ve been involved in some of these matches, which I’ll take to my grave at the end of it all. They are absolutely brilliant fixtures.”
Reflecting on his personal favourite memory from Ibrox – a 3-0 victory on April 2001 with his first title already sealed – O’Neill continued: “Henrik Larsson got his 50th goal, Lubo Moravcik was brilliant.
“And I think I put wee Shaun Maloney on for his debut at 19.
“Shaun asks me if I remember what I said to him in the dressing room.
“I said: ‘Are you happy to be here?’ And he said: ‘No, I thought I would be starting!’, which was brilliant. Only Maloney could’ve done that.”
Maloney will be back alongside O’Neill in the dug-out tomorrow as a season of twists and turns continues all the way to the finishing line.
O’Neill added: “Seriously, they’re great fixtures. They really are. To me, I swear to God, they’re up there with anything in world football.
“I’m not saying that at this minute, we have the same sort of standard, you know. But they’re powerful fixtures.
”I have absolutely seen guys lose their heads in those games.
“I’ve seen Peter Lovenkrands go down when he wasn’t touched and got Alan Thompson sent off. I’ve seen those things.
“I just thought I’d bring it up because I saw him on TV the other day and I thought, well, I must remind him of it, you know, holding your head!
“If that had gone to VAR it would have been fun. I hope things don’t go to VAR this weekend!”
Asked if the passing of time might make it easier for him to keep his emotions in check, O’Neill answered: “No, no, no. I never cope with them. I swear. I’m never coping with them. I see myself sometimes get embarrassed.
“Even in Stuttgart, when the player came onto the field of play without permission and I’m racing down like an irate old man to tell the fourth official and anybody else who wanted to hear me, saying, ‘This is not right!’.
“So, no, unfortunately, I retain all those things. And that will never change.”
‘SIEGE MENTALITY,’ FIGHTING TALK FROM McGREGOR
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