Chris Sutton has revealed the key difference he has noticed in Martin O'Neill's style of management during his recent stint as the manager of Celtic.
The former Celtic forward worked under O'Neill in the early 2000s, winning three league titles, three Scottish Cups and one League Cup during that time. Notably, Sutton was also part of the team that reached the 2003 UEFA Cup Final under the legendary manager, which was lost to Jose Mourinho's Porto side.
So it's safe to say that Sutton has plenty of experience with O'Neill's style of management, but he has pointed out one big change the manager has adopted this time around.
He said: "I just look at the way Martin has handled things. He is certainly different from his spell when I was there. Even the [Kasper] Schmeichel thing. He was quite softly, softly with that. I can’t imagine him being softly, softly 25 years ago.
"I just can’t. Even with the players coming in January. I think he realises how delicate the situation is at the club. I think he realises that he has a fragile dressing room.
"His game is to try to keep everyone on side. Trying to keep that harmony. Trying to talk the signings up in January, when I am telling you, he’s not having those signings. I am telling you.
"That’s the path he has gone down. I do understand that. Really, when you look at things, what’s his alternative? I saw online he was getting criticism for the starting XI against Dundee United. I would love these people who are criticising the starting XI to try and pick a Celtic team, at this moment in time. Who is a nailed-on certainty, who you think, ‘Yeah, we have got him. He’s alright?'"
A different approach from O'Neill, but it's working
As Sutton has noted, there is a different approach from O'Neill this time around. Now, he is being careful and making sure that everyone is on the same page.
When he came to Celtic both times, there was a lot of turmoil. Firstly, he steadied the ship after Brendan Rodgers suddenly departed, and he came in and did it again when Wilfried Nancy was sacked. It's a miracle that the Hoops still even have a chance at the title, and a lot of it is down to how O'Neill has handled the situation.
Sutton specifically pointed out how O'Neill dealt with the Schmeichel situation. The goalkeeper had been injured for a year but continued playing, costing Celtic crucial points in the process. This annoyed a lot of the Celtic support, but O'Neill chose to hold his tongue publicly. You can imagine it would have been much different had we still been in the early 2000s.
Either way, his approach is working. Hopefully, he can have a good end to his third Celtic return, the second one this season.