YOU MAY have noticed Martin O’Neill is 73 years of age. It’s been mentioned once or twice in recent days.
Kasper Schmeichel will celebrate his 39th birthday on Wednesday and was the oldest player on the park yesterday.
Both the Celtic interim manager and the Danish goalkeeper thoroughly enjoyed a Premier Sports League Cup semi-final triumph at Hampden over Rangers with new Govan gaffer Danny Rohl a mere infant in the dug-out at thirty-six.
Age does not seem to have dimmed O’Neill’s wisdom, enthusiasm and leadership qualities while Schmeichel produced three stunning saves – from Nico Raskin, Djeidi Gassama and Bojan Miovski – during the two hours of feverish activity at the national stadium.
The only time the towering netminder was required to fetch the ball from the back of his net was courtesy of a penalty-kick, whipped wide of his searching right hand by James Tavernier to force the blood-and-thunder confrontation into extra-time.
GOLDEN OLDIES…Martin O’Neill and Kasper Schmeichel share a moment after the Hampden Premier Sports League Cup semi-final triumph.
Schmeichel is in the last year of his contract at the champions and there may be some who would question the wisdom of the offer of an extension. I am not among that number.
I would stick terms for at least 12 months under his snoot right now in the knowledge the club’s No.1 position would then be in safe hands – quite literally – until the summer of 2027.
I’ve never been a big fan of believing players should be turned into a pot of glue moments after they have blown out thirty candles on their birthday cake.
Overnight, they become veterans and has-beens. If they make a mistake, it is all because of a date on a piece of paper. Produce the same howler in your mid-twenties and it’s simply a blunder.
Replicate it in your thirties and it’s time to look out the cardi and slippers and the only adventure you can look forward to is a conveyor belt of chattering so-called personalities on daytime telly. And make sure you have a fresh supply of Werther’s Originals close by if you’re looking for a treat.
I have absolutely no idea when Schmeichel may want to hang up the gloves and call it a day. I am aware he is a good trainer which is testimony to his present-day physique and athleticism.
It may aslo be worth noting that the great Italian keeper Dino Zoff won a World Cup medal at the age of forty when he captained his nation when they overcame West Germany 3-1 in the grand finale in Spain in 1982.
And what of ancient managers? Marcelo Bielsa is seventy and he will lead Uruguay to the global showpiece in America, Canada and Mexico next summer.
PROVING A POINT…Martin O’Neill and assistant Shaun Maloney.
You will have got the drift I am not ageist. As a matter of fact, I am thirty-one days older than O’Neill.
I am delighted to inform you that I am allowed out on my own and I can go all the way into town and remember my address when I am coming home. I have yet to put the dog in the fridge and take the milk for a walk.
I do admit, though, that I can walk into a room at home and wonder why I am in this precise location; apart from the bathroom, of course. I always know why I am in the bathroom.
I don’t wear specs and I have yet to invest in a zimmer. I waken up in the morning and I am aware what day it is. Well, most of the time, anyway.
Plus I know my wife’s name is Gerda and the cat is called Claude. And I rarely get them confused.
Please forgive the shameless plug, but my sixteenth Celtic book will be published this month. I could not have written the tome if I had not spent over fifty years of my working life in newspapers – or the inky trade as it used to be fondly known.
As I came up with the idea for this little exercise, it dawned on me I had been appointed Chief Sports Sub-Editor of the Daily Record in October 1975 – half-a-century ago. Yikes!
On top of ‘Celtic Confidential‘ – I promise to keep anyone who may be mildly interested up to speed with details as I receive them from the printers – I also have my fifth Charlie Brock Mystery novel, entitled ‘What’s Got Into Geronimo?‘, being published this week.
What a man, I hear you say. Or maybe not.
RETURN OF THE HERO…Martin O’Neill acknowledges the Celtic support.
What I am trying to get across – and probably not in a very erudite manner – is that I do not believe you reach a pre-destined stage of your occupancy of this planet and then you have to follow the bouncing ball until you keel over.
I have no desire to be Peter Pan. I’m sure it’s the same with Martin O’Neill and Kasper Schmeichel.
If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the health to keep going and doing what you enjoy, why abuse the privilege?
Celtic now defend their Premier Sports League Cup trophy against St Mirren at Hampden on Sunday December 14.
Unless something untoward occurs, Kasper Schmeichel will be in goal.
Martin O’Neill admits he doesn’t know if he will be involved by the time the showpiece kicks off in forty days’ time. The Irishman acknowledges Celtic may well have appointed a long-term successor to Brendan Rodgers by then.
However, from one septuagenarian to another, it wouldn’t worry me one jot if there is a pensioner guiding the players from the touchline that afternoon.
How about you, dear reader?
ALEX GORDON
EXTRA SPECIAL: THE CALLUM DOUBLE-ACT
