ARNE ENGELS has admitted the Martin O’Neill feelgood factor has given the Celtic players a lift.
Following the dramatic resignation of Brendan Rodgers just over a week ago, the champions had to work quickly to find a replacement.
O’Neill, 73, answered the call from Dermot Desmond and accepted the challenge on an interim basis. Only 48 hours later, the Irishman was pitched into the Parkhead dug-out for the crucial Premiership encounter with Falkirk.
It was his first time in charge of the Hoops in two decades and he was taking over a group of players with confidence levels on the floor after dismal back-to-back defeats from Dundee (0-2) and Hearts (1-3).
IN THE GREEN CORNER…a pensive Martin O’Neill at Hampden.
Another stumble against John McGlynn’s side was not an option and the squad performed with a vitality and vigour that had been in short supply during a puzzling and perplexing campaign. Goals from Johnny Kenny (2), Benjamin Nygren and Sebastian Tounekti propelled the hosts to a convincing 4-0 triumph.
That was followed by the weekend’s 3-1 extra-time success in the Premier Sports League Cup semi-final over Rangers to book a place in the showpiece showdown against St Mirren at Hampden on Sunday December 14.
Engels, who appears to have rediscovered an impressive surge in form in the past two games, played his part in the victory over the Ibrox club and set up the first for Kenny with a wicked right-wing corner-kick in the opening half.
Skipper Callum McGregor thundered in No.2 in the first period of added-on time and teenager Callum Osmand, an anonymous figure during Rodgers’ regime, claimed the killer third.
Engels said: “Of course, the manager has had a really positive feeling about everything and lifted the mood.
“Yeah, I’m really happy with the performances of not only myself but also of the team.
HAUL OVER NOW…Arne Engels is dragged to the ground by Mo Diomande.
“I think we had a great intensity and a great mindset of just going for everything, going in the duels and going forward and creating a lot of chances. That’s why we did well.
“Hopefully, we can just keep on going now and do it for a longer period because that’s how Celtic is.
“We have a really positive feeling about how everything is going now and how well we’re playing and the intensity that we are bringing.”
One of O’Neill’s first tasks after his quickfire appointment was to reassure the players of their qualities, the talent that had brought them to Parkhead in the first place.
Onfield leader McGregor had been stressing the same points in recent weeks and Engels, speaking to the Daily Record, continued: “That’s also something that the skipper is telling us.
“That we are just fantastic footballers, but we need to do it and we need to show it.
“Not only once, but we need to show it every time. That’s maybe something that was missing in the beginning of the season.
“But now I think we have got that feeling again and that hunger also because that’s also a big part of our identity as a group.
“Hopefully, we can just do it again on Thursday in Midtjylland.”
THE FINAL SAY…Arne Engels hugs Callum Osmand after the teen’s killer third goal.
Looking ahead to the first silverware opportunity of the campaign next month, Engels, the club’s record buy at the £11million he cost when he joined from Augsburg on deadline day 2024, added: “I think it can be a really big turning point.
“That’s also something that we said before Sunday’s game that it could be and hopefully it is.
“You saw how we played the game, how we managed everything really well.
“We created a lot of chances and were really good in the game. I just hope that we kick on from this and just keep on the aggressivity and the intensity that we have.
“That was maybe something that we were missing in the beginning of the season.
“We are in the Final, so we need to keep that hunger in the next couple of months because that’s what Celtic is about and that’s what makes us great.”
