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.
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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Lassie’s cup final 2 pm KO
onenightinlisbon on 31st May 2026 12:24 pm
I see your still enjoying the double ONIL,
In your own way :-))Keep on keeping on
HH
Fred Colon on 31st May 2026 1:19 pm
Lassie’s cup final 2 pm KO
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Unfortunately, the Orc ladies are favourites. I notice the girl presenting, Amy, used to be one of the acsom crew. She’s certainly polished up professionally, in front of the camera
bournesouprecipe @ 12:18 pm
Darren Fletcher Ally McCoist Steven Gerrard ,
A contest of insufferables, a trio of trumpets all intent on making a bad game worse.
Steven fresh from managerial flop after flop,
McCoist now wants VAR banned in Scotland.
All three wanted Arsenal to have a penalty because PSG got one, and that’s just not fair VAR must intervene.
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Lol BSR.
Low grade court jesters all three.
… and happy to jest in any court.
TNT Sports management insult the intelligence of their audience by perpetuating this standard
Bereft of insight … which is really saying something given 2 of 3 were actually handed manager jobs.
Appearing in TV ads for toilet cleaner is next up on the career path.
IMHO Worth observing though … the narratives are already written before these clowns turn up.
E.g.
Arsenal=good guys
Hearts=good guys
That both clubs shamefully soil our beautiful game with their despicable tactics is irrelevant.
Good goal Celtic…
“Completely against the run of play” say both commentators????
Is it just me or are they watching a different game?
I see Wee Jimmy Krankie has graduated from the Mountbatten Windsor (or should it be Saxe-Coburg?) school of interviews.
‘I see the neighbours have a new mobile home, Peter’.
GTF!
Laxalt on 31st May 2026 2:28 pm
Good goal Celtic…
“Completely against the run of play” say both commentators????
Is it just me or are they watching a different game?
___
I think the Huns have been the better side and look a better footballing team, so far.
Junior cup final on bbc alba at 4pm, for all you Gaelic speakers
Not even Saturday amateur statndards this, fitness is also poor.
But I hope Celtic win.
B2B
TNT Sports management insult the intelligence of their audience by perpetuating this standard
————————-
I wouldn’t disagree with any of that 🤣
If at first you don’t succeed, then sky diving is not for you.
Nothing succeeds like a budgie with no teeth
Best to all on planet CELTIC
kinglubo
They hun wummin would frighten the Marines. Some of them probably are Marines. 🤔
Has Lawrence Shankhill won the world cup for Scotland yet? 🤪
There’s a bit of a furore about republic men playing Israel men…
Is anything being said about Scottish ladies playing Israel ladies ?
Asking cause I’m nosy …
An Tearmann on 31st May 2026 1:47 pm
Absolutely but surely we are allowed to reflect on the failings of the season and how we can move forward or is that only reserved for certain posters?
Bognorbhoy
Not sure that or any other of the women’s fixtures are on many people’s radar – I had to look it up after you posted it.
Thought the players themselves might have been making some comments – still time i suppose.
Obviously uefa/ fifa are to blame for not banning them.
Red for Celtic
Crazy decision by the manager not to replace the Celtic player that had been booked.
Down to ten women now.
Still 1 0 up
Long half hour.
Commentators fekin terrible.
Girl commentating on ladies match sounds very pro Hun. Ghirls down to 10 (wo)men😃. Orcs have been pretty dominant but we could have had a 2nd.
Celtic down to 10 shocking decision for a dive from the oppsition player.
AT
Paul67 took all of 3 days after our double win to have another dig at Brendan – looks like the blog has moved on from our double
The standard of football is poor compared to a couple of season’s ago, or is it just a crap game?
ZIGGY – I was thinking the same and it is not even questionable. Definitely a Hun.
When will folk stop being so so dim?
So dim that they still cannot see that Dominic McKay was a PLC stunt man installed to carry out a deceit on 53,000 dim folk.
DM was installed to sell season tickets on the back of the lie that Peter Lawwell had left the building after he oversaw the inside job to wreck the 10 in a row season.
With gullible fans thinking a new dawn had broken, the season tickets sold out, and all of a sudden, DM developed incurable issues and had to leave Celtic immediately.
Imagine the Huns trying to pull that cheap trick on the Gullibillys?
AND THEN, when the trick was pulled off, Peter Lawwell returned through another PLC door, with another PLC job, with the false face as a “Non Executive” role.
And Celtic fan websites are praising the contributions of DM to Celtic.
WTF is wrong with these ETERNAL dimmy dullards?
DM was used to shaft 53,000 fans and still – they don’t get it.
The PLC know that Timdom is just a bunch of mugs for the PLC to mug.
https://readceltic.com/2026/05/31/dom-mckay-v-silent-mike-dom-mckay-achieved-more-for-celtic-in-76-days-than-silent-mike-has-in-5-years-therein-lies-the-problem-at-our-club/
And on, and on, and on, it goes….
I think Celtic have got a lot worse from winning the league a season or so back to 5th, and very little threat upfront. Cannot imagine the budget is great.
First issue is fitness all the pitches look too big for them.
Off to join my Blessed oh so Blessed Auntie May O’Kay…..
That Brookshire (hun) diver and thug.
dessybhoy on 31st May 2026 3:32 pm
I think Celtic have got a lot worse from winning the league a season or so back to 5th, and very little threat upfront. Cannot imagine the budget is great.
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They had far more attacking threat a few years ago. Putting in a great shift, defensively.
ONIL
Keep on keeping on :-))
HH
Vale Bhoy
‘Peter’ Do you think it was a homage to the embezzlement criminal?
Or is it a play on ‘Petey’ as in Mandelson who along with the war criminal Bliar conducted the rape of the labour and its denudement of any form of socialism from the inside,listened to the million dead “peace envoy” and the scum was all for cutting benefits.
Keep krankin it up,terrible thing is memory eh
Expenses scandal lol,.
Do you think it will thwart the push for independence? I dont
I can easily say jail the Peter
They are all lying bastard politicians.
No integrity in house since Tony Benn passed
HH
Huns wanting their injury time penalty
Well done ghirls….any win over that lot is joyous.
Well done 10 man Celtic.
The goalkeeper Gay was excellent as were the CHs.
Was surprised the Sevco manager took their midfielder Cruft off…I thought she was putting on a show.
looks like another VAR conspiracy being suggested by the co-commentator as the Hoops close on on the trophy.
Lassies win 1-0 🤪
10 wummin win the cup.
C’mon you girls in green 👏. Under the cosh but stood up to it. The wee keeper was great.