Martin O'Neill, what an absolute legend. When he was brought in as interim manager of Celtic, after Brendan Rodgers resigned from the post, most fans did not expect a ton. He is 73 years of age and was never going to be a long-term option. And with the squad looking so poor in the first few months of the campaign, it would have been understandable if the Hoops struggled to produce results.
Instead, they won seven of their eight games during the interim run of O'Neill. As a result, they are now level on points with Hearts and have played a game less as well.
And it is safe to say that O'Neill was enjoying his run as well. At the beginning, he had seemed a bit unsure about the matter but had gotten into his stride by the end of it.
Celtic have also shared footage of the emotional speech that he gave to the players in the dressing room on the day. As reported by 67 Hail Hail:
"Seriously, it has been an absolute privilege. A privilege for me. To come back here and work with you lot.
“I couldn’t say anything higher than you have just been really, really fantastic. I came here when I was 73, after the Falkirk game, I thought I was 95.
“But now I am 23 again. I am 23 because of you. It has been a privilege to work with you. A genuine privilege.
“Young man (points at Nygren). I love the Swedes. You being one of the top Swedes. (Bjorn) Borg’s my big hero. ABBA are a fantastic group. And Henrik Larsson is just sensational. You are number four, alright (room laughs). Number four on the list."
Martin O'Neill sends emotional message to Celtic players
Plenty of Celtic players have proven to be a revelation during O'Neill's short run as interim boss. It certainly feels like Rodgers might not have been getting the best out of this squad.
At the same time, that also puts added pressure on incoming boss Wilfried Nancy. Now, we have a better idea of what some of these players are capable of. If they take a backward step from here, questions will be asked about the French manager and his ability to get the best out of this team.
In the end, all we can do is thank O'Neill. He answered the call in an hour of need, when it would have been much easier to turn the offer down. He had been out of management since 2019 and at 73 years of age, it would have been an understandable decision. Instead, he took on the challenge and exceeded all expectations. And most would have been delighted if he had stayed longer. Perhaps that is the exact feeling you want the fans to have when you leave.