MARTIN O’NEILL won’t waste too much time reflecting on the Europa League horror show that saw Celtic walloped 4-1 by VfB Stuttgart at Parkhead.
The Irishman will analyse the x-certificate performance again that surely ended the team’s activity in Europe with the second leg in Germany on Thursday night virtually meaningless.
On last night’s showing, the Hoops’ chances of overturning the scoreline must be rated between zero and zilch.
Realistically, it is all about the domestic scene now for the champions with the priority target a fifth successive Premiership title.
EURO DOWNFALL…Martin O’Neill reflects on a shocking loss. Image courtesy Celtic TV.
They can take a massive step towards the silverware on Sunday if they take three points from the home encounter against a Hibs team who earned a point at the same venue in a scoreless stalemate in September.
Reflecting on the disappointing result to mark his 1,000th game as a manager, O’Neill said: “We didn’t help ourselves and conceded some very poor goals.
“We got back into the game and even at half-time, I felt we could conjure up something, but we conceded not long after that and the game goes beyond you at that stage.
“The very obvious thing is we didn’t defend strongly enough in the course of it and I thought the goals were avoidable.”
O’Neill, speaking to Celtic TV, added: “That’s gone now. European football is tough and when you’re playing a side in the top four of the Bundesliga, it doesn’t matter if it’s home or away, it’s going to be hard.
“We can learn things from that, but our focus now has to be Sunday, which is massive for us.”
O’Neill may take some consolation from the fact that his only other defeat during his two interim spells was a Europa tie against FC Midtjylland in Denmark in November when the Hoops lost 3-1.
Three days later, they faced Kilmarnock in the league at Parkhead and won 4-0.
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