MARTIN O’NEILL’S POST MATCH MEDIA CONFERENCE AFTER CELTIC’S 4-2 WIN OVER FC UTRECHT…
Celtic v Utrecht, UEFA Europa League, League Stage. Back row (L-R) Sebastian Tounekti, Auston Trusty, Arne Engels, Benjamin Nygren, Liam Scales, Kasper Schmeichel. Front row (L-R) Daizen Maeda, Yang Hyeon-Jun, Callum McGregor, Kieran Tierney, Colby Donovan Photo: Kenny Ramsay. IMAGO / News Licensing
Q: What did you make of the result and the overall performance?
Martin O’Neill: “We’re delighted, obviously, with the result for a start. The performance, I thought, for most parts, was really terrific. After the first two minutes, in which they forced a corner, I thought our pressing was terrific. As a consequence, we got ourselves a couple of goals in front. Not that you’re ever coasting in a game, but we were doing splendidly. I thought we’d just maybe see it through to half-time. They get a goal back, it unnerves you a little bit. Then, when they got the second goal, of course, you’re just beginning to get a wee bit concerned. At that time, I actually thought we were flagging a little bit. But Auston Trusty comes up with a great header. Naturally, we deserved to win the game. Overall, I was delighted with the performance.”
Q: And getting through, obviously, is a big bonus for the club?
Martin O’Neill: “You’d have got long odds about us qualifying after about four games. But great credit to the players, genuinely great credit to them. They worked tirelessly. I just said to them before the game that you don’t want… Last Thursday’s performance was magnificent, playing 60 minutes with 10 men. The performance in Feyenoord was great. So you just didn’t want that to count for nothing. The only way that we could not count for nothing was just to get through, and we won. So we’re in the next stages of the knockout. Another night at Celtic Park.”
Q: It’ll be Stuttgart or a certain Robbie Keane’s Ferencvaros in the next round. We’ll find out who it’ll be tomorrow. If it does turn out to be the Hungarians, how much would Robbie Keane relish going up against you in the dugout?
Martin O’Neill: “Robbie’s just starting his managerial career. And from the start he’s made, he’s done really, really well. He’s been a great player as well. So he’s got a bit of pedigree.”
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