Martin O’Neill has been speaking about the appointment of Ange Postecoglou as the manager of Celtic, on Australian TV. Speaking to Optus Sport the former Celtic manager gives plenty of insight into what lies ahead for the Australian manager whose rebuild job at Celtic is now well underway.
“He will obviously be judged on his results. It will be a major step for him I must admit. I genuinely believe the crowd will be with him, they have to stay with him as well too. He has to get his own design on the team. It’s a big move for him, and it’s a great move for him too.
“The challenge is there and it’s a nice challenge in many aspects. They were disappointing last season, and it’s a fresh start for him. He knows the challenge ahead because of what (the)Rangers have done. He may in many aspects have come on the radar, but it’s a big chance for him.
“There probably is a divide of opinion. There will be a lot of Celtic fans, very fair-minded people, saying ‘give him a chance now. There will be others who have thought about a bigger name in the game. Does it really matter at the end of it all if you get the results and turn things round?
“There’s no guarantee of anything and a big name in the game may not guarantee success,” O’Neill added.
Asked how difficult Celtic fans are to please, the former Celtic manager revisited the events of last season which have clearly left a last impression with O’Neill. “Nine years of great success, the last number of trophies that were won in succession were won by Celtic and yet the minute that they fell behind (the)Rangers in the season that they were probably expecting Ten-in-a-Row and then the started.
“The criticism of the manager Neil Lennon I thought was way over the top and this was when they were only six or seven points behind and they could easily have made that up. It didn’t materialise so some Celtic fans, some of the fair minded ones will say ‘listen give (Ange) a chance but of course they are demanding. They expect success and they’ll want it quickly because they’ll not want (the)Rangers to be dominating.
The interviewer then asked about the rivalry with theRangers and how important it is for Ange to win his first Glasgow Derby (she used the factually defunct OF term). O’Neill talks about his first Old Firm game – as it was then – that unforgettable 6-2 demolition and describes it as a big moment for him personally.
