I APPLAUD the well-meaning citizens who are advocating a sculpture of Martin O’Neill outside Celtic Park to honour the legendary Irishman.
There is a strong and seemingly-irresistible movement for the 74-year-old manager, currently in his second interim spell in charge of the team during a challenging campaign, to take his place alongside Brother Walfrid, Jock Stein, Billy McNeill and Jimmy Johnstone in the shadow of the stadium.
That’s all commendably admirable.
It may be all very well being immortalised in clay in Paradise, but I can only say this: To heck with the statue…let’s arrange a sainthood for O’Neill!
Let’s get a petition up and running to get this bloke canonised.
Good heavens, we all know he deserves it. If the powers-that-be in these matters seek verification of at least two miracles, they only have to delve into the club’s past and present.
ROARING SUCCESS…Martin O’Neill makes a point.
There’s plenty of choice, including at least twice bringing an ailing team back to life.
The movement will, of course, pick up impetus if Celtic win their next three games to claim the club’s fifth successive title, their fourteenth championship in 15 years and a record 56th crown.
That kicks off this afternoon when Rangers, led by a strangely muted Danny Rohl after his vociferous comments in the past, roll up for the sixth and final derby of the season.
Motherwell are next up at Fir Park on Wednesday and then it’s the grand finale when Derek McInnes’ Hearts side provide the opposition in the east end of Glasgow.
We can only hope the match officials – on and off the field – in all three encounters do not attempt to hog the headlines and allow actual fooball to flourish without the histrionics and theatrics of some of the more unscrupulous and desperate participants.
Altogether now, dear reader: “Let us play.”
ALEX GORDON
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