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O’Neill psychological containment

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Martin O’Neill’s first time in charge of Celtic got off to a flyer, but we hit a bumpy patch in November 2000.  Rangers extracted significant revenge for their 6-2 defeat at Celtic Park earlier in the season, beating O’Neill’s team 5-1 at Ibrox.  What made it worse, was that David Murray had splashed £12m on Tore Andre Flo three days earlier, with the Norwegian scoring on his debut.  26 years later, Flo is still the most expensive signing in Scottish football history (we could talk all night about that one).

‘The past is a foreign country’ and for anyone below the age of 40 it will be difficult to understand just how overwhelming Rangers ability to spend their way to success was for Celtic fans.  It was reckless, sure, but Celtic were also overspending during this period, just so dangerously and not enough to follow the lemming over the cliff.  Rangers were still 12 years from liquidation, with no guarantee that some structural change to income would not come to their rescue.

In that context, our next game was away to Hibernian, which ended in a 0-0 draw.  5 points dropped in two games, our early season hopes were significantly dented.  Post-match at Easter Road, Martin O’Neill was pragmatic, “It was important not to lose the game”.  That comment stuck with me, as it felt to me that it was important to win the game, dropping another two points just piled on the misery.

Martin knew that defeats compound.  One loss makes the next game more likely to result in the same outcome.  Even a hard fought draw allows a manager to look his players in the eye after the game and contain the damage.

That sentiment came back to me twice in recent weeks.  When Dundee levelled Benjamin Nygren’s opener at Dens in April, the pressure felt overwhelming.  We had suffered defeat to Dundee United on the same street one week earlier and title credentials were hanging by a thread.

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Martin O’Neill contains the squad’s anxiety, “It’s important take something from the game”, helps players a whole lot more than that unhelpful idea football people often pretend is true, “Winning is a must”.   We could have done with some of this thinking in season 2020-21.

The other time I thought back to Martin’s comments that day at Easter Road was when watching Hearts play Newco earlier this month.  Danny Rohl’s side had lost the previous week to Motherwell and were full of “five cup finals” chat.  Winning at Hearts felt like an absolute, whereas a draw would have left them with a sporting chance of the title.  Instead, defeats compounded.  Celtic remained calm at Dens in April, with Kelechi Iheanacho scoring the winner 8 minutes from time.  Martin’s psychological containment played its part.

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  2. bournesouprecipe on

    Eratic……….. great monika

     

     

    Think MON has to remain but he’ll need help to sort out recruitment. Dermot Desmond usually gets it right, until his budget is challenged.

     

     

    Ho hum – direct debit kicked in on Friday, I’d love to see the massive modernisation that’s needed.

  4. lets all do the huddle on

    i could never complain about MON being in the managers spot in the dugout.

     

     

    but i cant help feeling it would just be kicking the can down the road.

     

     

    an easy out for the incompetents that run us to just keep going back to the same players and managers as they have been doing for years.

     

     

    because they have no idea, or care, about running a progressive football team.

     

     

    they just want the cash rolling in.

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  11. spikeysauldman on

    well played to the wummin…

     

     

    they’ll all just have to be content with the 12th…

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  13. vale bhoy on

    Tontine Tim

     

     

    In those days we had some left wing politicians..

     

     

    Sadly, long gone.

  14. bournesouprecipe on

    There was a Led Zeppelin tribute band but sadly they never got off the ground

     

     

    Nitol CSC

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  20. An Tearmann on

    Kev racist hun scum

     

     

    You still sending monies to homeless George?

     

     

    What’s Georges pronouns? He identifies as a millionaire grifter,on the quiet happily farming part of your benefits.lols

     

    The unionist scum got chased back to the toilet cupboard his show comes out.lols

     

    Keep talking bout the Celtic kevvi

     

    Your insecurity is boundless

     

    Yi cannae help it i know.i will say a prayer for you.

     

    Remember refugees are welcome at Celtic,we are a club built on and made continually in history by immigrants.

  22. The Battered Bunnet on

    Quiet morning, not least as, reading back, we’re led to believe that MON is being announced today.

     

     

    Which would be a surprise as, reading further back, we’re led to believe that the talks between him and Desmondo the Distinguished which were due held last week, had been postponed and rescheduled for later this week.

     

     

    Believe what you will, but keep the faith.

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  25. Bhoys Town on

    No word on MON despite the hare set running yesterday. I’m in two minds. He is a great motivator and the players love him. So, his appointment would not be in the same category as Lennon’s appointment after the SCF. However, MON admits he knows little about modern coaching. Can he really recruit bright up and coming talent, can he explain to these guys where they will fit in, what he wants from them? I’m struggling to see it.

     

    We’ve had six months to line up a lean hungry younger guy with his finger on the recruitment pulse and with fresh ideas. Does DD think, ‘we tried that with Nancy, I’m not taking that risk again?’ Surely not. McKenna out of our reach now, but surely there are guys of that kind of pedigree, even working alongside Shaun and Fozzy.

     

    I love MON but I just can’t see how he’s the future. I also worry for his legacy if it all goes belly up. Best to leave with the applause in your ears.

  26. Celtic Mac on

    Never realised there were so many Arsenal supporters in North London until yesterday. Whatever the best laid plans of mice and men their supporters simply ignored them and blocked every major thoroughfare in, around and beyond their Islington home before, during, and for a long time after their EPL title winning celebrations. No fan of Arteta, but Arsenal do deserve credit in becoming champions and reaching the CL Final in the same season, albeit with an approach more akin to George Graham than Arsene Wenger. Another thing that struck me was the sheer diversity of the Arsenal support out there on the streets, doubt if any other club in Europe could match it, even the number of accents from the North of England which did surprise me. Talked to one fan still wearing his Kieran Tierney top, he was from Ireland, Celtic supporter too. Top dogs in London again, they really have an opportunity to cement themselves as the top club in England over the next few seasons, and one of the top clubs in Europe.

     

    A new manager and a more attractive style of play would’nt go amiss either…

  29. GlassTwoThirdsFull on

    Two good coaches – both gettable – snapped up by other clubs.

     

    Askou to Toulouse, now Adi Hutter to Frankfurt. Been on the market for months – a well-run club with people who have half a clue about football could have been in discussions about taking over for next season, identifying recruitment needs, etc……

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  31. Celtic Mac on

    See our interim Chairman, Brian Wilson, joined the debate on the Sturgeon-Murrell farrago last night, on Stephen Nolan’s Radio 5 show. Quite impressive too in highlighting the role of the Lord Advocate, who also sits in the Cabinet, in how this whole process panned out. Now, it appears that the prosecuters agreed to a request from Murrell’s lawyers to delay his latter appearance in court, until after the recent Holyrood elections. Which also meant that Sturgeon was no longer an MSP when the guilty plea was made early last week. An earlier caller to LBC, on the same subject, also drew attention to the role of the Lord Advocate, or not as the case may be, in the post RFC admin prosecutions (see JohnJames on that) which thus far have cost the Scottish taxpayer tens of £millions and counting….

     

    Oh what a tangled web we weave…..

  32. Celtic Mac on

    I also see the ‘Martin Out’ campaign has started on here…….

     

    Afore he’s even got in!

  34. The Battered Bunnet on

    MON is the answer if the question is: How do we maintain some element of continuity in a period of extensive upheaval?

     

     

    The organisation needs to be rebuilt top to bottom. MON is a centre of gravity at a time of chaos.

  35. Hot Smoked on

    In spite of the fact that Martin O` Neill has done a fantastic job I would not keep him for next year.

     

    Of course, if we were to keep him, he MIGHT continue to do a wonderful job but, anything less and his excellent achievements this year would soon be forgotten.

     

    Go out on a high, Martin.

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  37. Hot Smoked on

    BTW, my 11:25am post was not in response to any of the others just above. I hadn`t seen them before I typed.

  38. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    Good morning CQN

     

     

    Another fine day to be a Celt.

     

     

    It’s a beautiful Monday morning (somewhere)

     

     

    … and Celtic are champions.

  39. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    I’m tentatively positive and supportive of Brian Wilson as interim chairman.

     

     

    But, IMHO, given where we are as an organisation, his sole focus should be Celtic.

     

     

    My support wanes somewhat when I hear tell of him reverting to politics, no matter how briefly.

  41. Barcabhoy on

    Keane managed by far the biggest club in Hungary

     

     

    He lost the league to a club with average attendance of 5,000 who’s budget was somewhere between Livingston and Dundee

     

     

    If he wasn’t Irish , his agent wouldn’t even get a return phone call . He’s not remotely qualified to manage Celtic

     

     

    Being Irish is not a qualification

     

     

    Having elite management ability as Martin O’Neill has , is THE qualification

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