Martin O’Neill is royalty. In his company, everyone is on form. They listen to whatever he says, no one interrupts him, no one contradicts. If you tell Martin a joke, you make sure it’s funny. Even the A-graders watch their words around him.
This kind of respect is hard won. He delivered as a player, possessing two European Cup winner’s medals. As manager of Leicester City, he reached three League Cup finals in four season, winning two.
His arrival in Glasgow in 2000 changed football here forever. Despite winning the league in 1998 Celtic were perennial underdogs for 12 years, forever trying to catch up with their neighbours. We have lost five leagues in the subsequence 18 years, but even during the darkest of those days, we remained a formidable opponent to all in Scotland.
Martin’s formula was straightforward. He liked defenders who would win and clear the ball. He liked wide players who were good at crossing the ball and he liked strikers who scored goals. The recent sequence of hundreds of corner kicks Celtic failed to converted over nine months was unthinkable in Martin’s time. Back then the panic was over how few goals we scored from open play. Send the ball forward, get it into the box, everyone attack the ball.
It worked. Then the (rightly) maligned Alex McLeish arrived at Ibrox, played three up front against Celtic’s three central defenders and won the first five trophies available to him. Alex. McLeish. Celtic responded by winning 25 consecutive league games in season 2003-04, the most dominating champions up until that point, but Larsson left and the stars of Thompson, Sutton and Hartson faded. There was no sustainable strategy.
If Martin O’Neill was sitting beside me right now I would be in awe, but the writing has been on the wall for well over a decade regarding his football management prowess. Martin had the magic potion in the late 90s and early 2000s. He went toe-to-toe with Mourinho – the latter only edged their epic encounter with far better players, but his systems were ineffective against modern players and on modern pitches.
He reached the Euros with Ireland, despite the remarkable (cough) choice of Roy Keane as his assistant, and only a pummelling by Denmark stopped Ireland reaching this year’s World Cup, but the style of football was little changed from his days in Glasgow.
The people of Leicester adored him, then some other guy came along and won the league. He is adored in Glasgow too, but some other guy followed him and took us into the once fabled ‘next stage’ in the Champions League, others beat Barcelona and won double trebles. He was a titan when he left town in 2005, eclipsed only by Jock Stein, but revisionism has not been kind.
243 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- »
An tearmann
How are you keeping?
I don’t know the name… but if they are from Paisley, I’m sure my granny would have known his granny! It seemed like everyone in Paisley knew each other back then.
We’d run in to someone, and I’d have no idea who they were, but she’d say ‘sure you know him … his auntie’s sister lived beside your cousin Betty’s daughter’s husband’ …
Used to make me laugh … she had all this in her head, but could never remember what day of the week it was!
:)
HOT SMOKED on 22ND NOVEMBER 2018 9:07 PM
Of course supporters are entitled to criticise .
But Celtic supporters considering suing Celtic ?
Hang on a minute , pal.
As I said , guffaws from Govan South.
Not that their opinion on anything matters.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 22ND NOVEMBER 2018 1:16 PM
The game is over …………the trebles have won.
====================================================
Unfailingly polite.
Always entertaining.
Occasionally punny.
:-)
Re p67’s article…
Faint praise indeed. I get the feeling Martin was too honest and too strong minded for some within the boardroom .
Mon’s Celtic team were feared in Europe, no one wanted to play us especially at paradise. I remember seeing Bayern who were the Bundesliga champions at the time celebrate a draw as if they’d won the CL . Such was the regard of getting out of Glasgow’s East end without defeat. When Martin was in charge we beat nearly all the big teams at home we encountered. I think we went over 2yrs without defeat at home including both domestic and European football.He helped restore our name as a top club Europe wide, it has never gotten near that level since.
Beating teams in Scotland is one thing but with our financial advantage it makes it a hell of a lot easier.
Beating Barcelona in a one of match was great but beating a Ronaldinho inspired Barcelona over two legs , well that takes some doing, Martin’s Celtic done it. There was the Uefa cup run as well of course.
His achievements with us will live long in my memory and the memories of the Celtic supporters I know.
I wish him every success.
HH
Every supporter I know will remember this game and the gravitas of the result against a strong Rangers team full of international’s.
The beginnings of a special time at our football club…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fT6Yl5UEnEw
HH
MO’N indicated that, we would have to be prepared to operate in the ‘slow lane’ in terms of, European football, when soon after PL’s return to Celtic that, PL informed MO’N that, the club couldn’t find the £250k that was needed for Kilmarnock right back, Peter Canero.
This was soon after big Eck announced that, Rangers would be downsizing their playing squad.
The Old Firm.
Aye.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Kev if yer still awake :)
Like I mentioned earlier, Martin was possibly too honest for some people’s liking.
HH
Good morning CQN from a mild Garngad
Bring on the Accies.
Refuse the Sevco tickets
Free the BMCUWP 1
HH
D. :)
Good morning, beginning to get chilly in the Chilterns it’s as if Autumn has finally arrived.
CQN for many years has been less than positive about Martin O’N and his legacy… however I remember when Martin came to manage non-league Wycombe Wanderers…
When he’s finished we’d umpteen promotions two cups a new vibrant Stadium and were an established English League side…
The ghuys a phenomenon, not only did he do that for WW but his future tenures at Leicester City and Celtic would produce incredible results and a long lasting legacy.
In modern times as a Celtic Manager he is second only to Jock. Sure, Brendan may give him a run for his money but as it stands MO’N is Celtic’s best 21st Century Manager a huge contrast from the Club that left the 20th Century.
Another thread I’ve been reading since the AGM is the Board criticism.
Now there seems to be a spurious argument developing here.
Although the views have been wide ranging I have seen little criticism of how the Board run Celtic PLC.
In my opinion they seem highly competent operatives in this regard, actually highly successful in some aspects.
No for me the problem is how Celtic Football Club is run…
…when one is charged with running a great sporting institution certain things are key pursuits.
Among them sporting excellence and sporting integrity. It’s in these and other important aspects the PLC are failing the Club.
Hamilton A 0 – 3 Celtic FC
Hail Hail
Morning Tims..
Young Shades was asking me the other day if I thought Martin would be remembered more fondly than Brendan.
In the grand scheme of things it doesn’t really matter does it.
Till my dying day should I live that long I will remember the 6 v 2 game and the feeling that the tide had turned.
The trip to Seville and all that went with it was fantastic, like most Celtic fans the chance to appear in a European final was only really a dream, but under Martin it was a dream come true, maybe someone could write a book about it ?.
Brendan Rodgers has allowed me to see back to back TREBLES, go 4 times to mordor and destroy the evil residents (49 quid well spent ) with my youngest son and given me a joyous on occasion football team to watch, and he ain’t finished yet.
So who will be remembered more fondly? when I figure out How long a piece of string is I will answer my conundrum.
I suppose Martin was great for his time, and Brendan is still great.
H.H
50 Shades I think both MON and BR will be remembered for what they achieved.
Of that I have no doubt.
Right off to take Mrs David66 to Hospital appointment then into work.
HH
D. :)
morning bhoys from a dull dreich Cheshire,. could not separate martin and Brendan, both came at the right time for us 2 hunskelpers.hh.?
Re Martin and Brendan…
I don’t think it has to be a one better than the other scenario here. I’ve stuck up for both of them on this forum.
Just for the record. I appreciate Brendan and Martin immensely for what they have done for our club.
Playing down Martin’s achievements whilst simultaneously highlighting any perceived failings gets on my goat,I’ve seen it in a number of articles all the time. At least p67 is consistent in his appraisal but that’s as complementary as I can be on it.
We’re blessed to have/had them both.
HH
* all the time- over a period of time
From the Hootsman it’s on about 30 years ago Murray took over the bigotdome, I had to read this twice to believe it
“The price at which Murray seized control was viewed as surprisingly low for one of the biggest clubs in Britain – if not the biggest”
I can fully agree that MON’s achievements with Celtic (and Leicester and Wycombe) are not accurately appreciated in Paul’s article.
However, those that are rising to defend what he did with us are, for the most part, quite prepared to downplay the achievements of his successor, WGS, who had a higher league winning ratio and got us twice to the last 16 of the CL, a feat which is as hard to achieve as a UEFA Cup losing finalist slot is.
Seems some less than grateful revisionism is better than others.
SFTB
I don’t recall WGS being part of the discussion though I may have missed any previous reference to him in the discussion.
FWIW I agree he did exceptionally well given his remit of getting trophies on a reduced budget compared to his predecessor. It was a tough ask but he was very successful.
I’ll also remember him fondly but not in the same way as Martin or Brendan for different reasons.
HH
DBHOY
Brendan was not part of Paul’s article either but he was introduced into the argument and both MON and BR were held up as exemplarary managers.
From conversations over the years on CQN, I think it is WGS’s personality (and past as a Dons player) that sees him excluded from our affections when his football achievements (titles and trophies as opposed to exciting football) stand comparison wiht most. 3 out of 4 league titles won and 2 last 16 CL places, and he was dealing with a financially doped side too.
Off to work now
MIT
Doin good Mike.you ever read “Z magazine”? Sometimes the odd good article bout american foreign policy.search it down.
HH
MON Is a rich seam in our history.i think we sometimes loose sight of were we were prior to his appointment.a little directionless,rubbed by ICT and getting beaten of a cheating club publicly shat out for the world to see on 14/6/2012.I recall the unprompted press fawning over Dick advocates team for Europe and his team which according to them could go thro the year unbeaten- well that lasted 11 minutes 3 up in the 6-2 hunhumping.thats all it took.as a club Mon pointed them towards the mortuary door.no doubt bout that.he took on the cheating hun and dismissed them.i wish Mon well,I thank him for his part in our club’s history,no comparisons needed.
HH
SFTB
Re Discussion- I was referring to the posts not the article. I didn’t see any mention of WGS in any previous posts.
You might be right about his past as an opposition player against the hoops being a reason for some folks reticence to remember his time with us in a more positive light. Certainly wouldn’t have helped.
For me it was the style of play that caractorised his team which was brutal to watch at times. Effective but brutal none the less.
HH
Yip…
Martin took took on the huns and they went from ” benchmark to skidmark “..
P.s Always got time for wee Gordy tae, took no crap.
H.H
DBHOY
Thanks for posting that. I was transported back in time there. When Paul Lambert, with ice running through his veins, calmly passed that third goal into the net, tears were welling up in my eyes, just as they did all those years ago.
From (emotional) memory, that third goal was scored on 11 minutes. In thirteen minutes, Henke was clean through on goal, with only the keeper to beat… it was the only time I can remember him failing to score from such a position. Although that game, and how it panned out, was thrilling in the extreme, and numbers amongst my greatest Celtic memories, I have always wondered what would have happened, had Larsson tucked that chance away with his usual aplomb.
4-0 with 14 minutes played? Where would we have ended up?
?⚽️
DBHOY on 23RD NOVEMBER 2018 8:13 AM
Re Martin and Brendan…
I don’t think it has to be a one better than the other scenario here. I’ve stuck up for both of them on this forum.
Just for the record. I appreciate Brendan and Martin immensely for what they have done for our club.
Playing down Martin’s achievements whilst simultaneously highlighting any perceived failings gets on my goat,I’ve seen it in a number of articles
Can’t improve on that,we were on our knees when he arrived……
Hunderbirds
It was an epic game and so important in the bigger scheme of things to help rectify the psychological edge they had over us at that time.
I remember Rod Wallace scoring a belter at 3-1 and breathing a huge sigh of relief when it was disallowed. Might sound a bit daft but I only completely relaxed when big Sutton scored the sixth. One of our truly great victories and a taste of what was to come.
Don’t remember Henrik missing in first half but I do remember him making up for it second half :)
HH
Think they call that selectim memory :))
HH
This mornings musical interlude is brought to by …Soul2Soul…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1iQl46-zIcM&list=RDGMEMQ1dJ7wXfLlqCjwV0xfSNbAVMZz-DJr1Qs54&index=13
HH
* brought to you by
The lesser-spotted Marvin Compper has revealed he will finally end his Celtic hell in January.
But he insisted he’s fit enough to play on for another two years.
Good start to the weekend
https://twitter.com/CelticFC/status/1065900537714012160?s=08
Celtic Christmas advert,….fairly bland,until there’s a knock at the door….brilliant
SFTB,
I agree that Gordon’s background mitigates against his Celtic legacy.
I also feel that Craig Gordon’s previous incarnation at Tynecastle casts a shadow over his excellent, professional performances as our number 1, in the eyes of some/many of our supporters.
I said in an earlier post on this thread that a manager’s legacy should be based over the tenure of his appointment and not in the “only as good as your last game” philosophy.
Martin’s , as has Gordon’s will be secure in the annals of Celtic.
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/stv.tv/amp/1433109-stv-to-broadcast-live-spanish-and-italian-football/
A sunny 20 at 12 30 -way down south .
Today’s lunchtime choons
https://youtu.be/T9LZwKA2Udw
https://youtu.be/KGcbBeIf9kA
https://youtu.be/hqWUrrYydHA
Back oot to the gardening –
new article posted.
I am reading that Celtic are now the cause of the ban on away fans attending Celtic vHuns games,and vice versa.Its apparently our fault that this has come to pass.
I never knew that.Just goes to show ,eh.
Ascot 13:30
Jubilympics
HH…?
First Assignment 2 25. Haydock.
Taking a chance on Gold Present in the 2:05 at Ascot HH
Beach break in the 1:40 Huntington for me
Good luck to all
Hail hail