UNFORTUNATELY, Martin O’Neill’s next trick will be to stage a vanishing act.
Over such a short space of time, the magnetic Irishman has somehow conjured up some much-required confidence in a squad of players who were on their knees after back-to-back Premiership defeats against Dundee and Hearts.
Bon homie was in short supply at the home of the champions and morale must have taken a further steep dip with the resignation of Brendan Rodgers amid chaos and carnage in the background.
The feeble capitulation in the capital against Derek McInnes’ side saw the Hoops drop eight points off the pace early in the league campaign where they had set off in August in the quest for five titles in a row.
A 2-0 Europa League nosedive at home to Sporting Braga didn’t do much for anyone’s self-esteem or the spirit of the dressing room and a dark cloud seemed to have settled over the east end of Glasgow.
This was the environment that awaited O’Neill when he accepted the challenge to return to the club only hours after the news had broken that Rodgers had vamoosed for a second time.
I’LL GET MY COAT…Martin O’Neill will say farewell after tomorrow’s game at Easter Road.
The 73-year-old personality didn’t exactly produce a rabbit from a hat and you and I are very much aware there is no such thing as a magic wand in this game.
O’Neill proved there was nothing up his sleeve as he rolled them up and set about reviving credence and credibility about the place.
There was no Hey! Presto! moment. What the Irishman has achieved has been down to clever, astute, hard work and endeavour, ably assisted, of course, by Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham.
I know he comes across as a couthy character with the ability to produce a quip when he seizes on an opening, but don’t be fooled by his demeanour. O’Neill would have been well aware of what he was taking on when he agreed to come back to Parkhead.
It wouldn’t have been blind devotion with an ego to be pampered that swayed his mind. He would been well aware his old team were in need and he rallied to the cause.
He has sprinkled some magic dust on proceedings while he has done so and this beguiling individual will leave the premises after the final whistle in the capital tomorrow.
Marvo the Magician couldn’t have stage-managed an exit more successfully.
After seven games – and five successes from the first six – O’Neill will realise his work is done.
If anyone deserves to go out as a winner, it’s Martin O’Neill.
ALEX GORDON
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