Celtic there for the taking for Rangers after what Martin O’Neill privately admitted to journalist
Celtic have been shown to be more vulnerable to Rangers than they have been for years after Martin O’Neill’s admission to Graham Spiers.
The Hoops may have secured a strong 3-1 victory away to Feyenoord in the Europa League on Thursday night but it came as a surprise to their interim manager.
O’Neill’s return in place of Brendan Rodgers demonstrated the opportunity Rangers had already squandered this season, with Dermot Desmond’s scathing statement about the outgoing coach illustrating the level of dysfunction that had been allowed to develop behind the scenes.
The Light Blues should have been in position to surge clear of their struggling rivals at that point but had instead contrived to be trailing yet again thanks to the nightmare of Russell Martin‘s time in charge.
Danny Rohl has finally started to improve matters on the pitch, with victory at Ibrox against Livingston four wins from four in the Scottish Premiership since the German took over, and at last the first Rangers point in Europe against Sporting Braga on Thursday.
Martin O’Neill admitted Celtic reservations to Graham Spiers
Now, in the wake of the Celtic victory Spiers has revealed that O’Neill had told him prior to the match that he doesn’t have a great deal of confidence in the quality of his squad, suggesting if the Gers can finally hold it together they can turn the Old Firm tide at last.
The journalist wrote via X: “This is betraying no confidence whatsoever: O’Neill had real reservations about this Celtic team’s ability to come to Rotterdam and compete with – let alone beat – Feyenoord.
“He said it to me and he more than hinted at it during his pre-match press conference. O’Neill has had no illusions at all about the quality of this Celtic dressing room; a concern only exacerbated by mid-term injuries to some of the club’s key players.”
With O’Neill, 73, not expected to be a long-term appointment Spiers highlighted the “dilemma” at Parkhead of what to do, given the Irishman has managed to motivate those players above and beyond his own expectations of their level.
Wilfried Nancy is thought to be on the way in at Celtic, but whether he can have the same effect on a squad that is seen as lacking remains to be seen.
Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers must strike in January
It’s no secret that Rangers have repeatedly made a mess of rebuild after rebuild since Steven Gerrard left, with Celtic comparatively uneffected by the transition to Ange Postecoglou and then back to Rodgers.
Rohl’s own private assessment of the options he has at his disposal at Auchenhowie right now may well not be too far from O’Neill’s after the missteps of this year.
But now Martin is long-gone, and Rangers have now sacked Kevin Thelwell and Patrick Stewart as well, so the clean-up operation is full flow.
Despite a hefty transfer investment in the summer Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises must find a way to extend that recovery to the playing squad in January.
In recent seasons it could be argued a second splurge in successive windows would be little more than a financial gamble as Celtic wouldn’t open the door far enough.
But this season they’ve already left it wide open and allowed Hearts to stroll through, but things are tightening towards the top of the table already, so if Rohl can alter the squad to his liking there is a huge opportunity for Rangers to, belatedly, snap up.
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