Over these previous few months, Martin O’Neill has appeared repeatedly on talkSPORT. Chatting with Jim White and Simon Jordan, a present on which he was as soon as a pundit, O’Neill has usually been vibrant and entertaining.
However he let himself down badly on Monday throughout a heated change when requested concerning the shameful scenes on the finish of Celtic’s title-clinching win over Hearts.
O’Neill refused to sentence the hordes of supporters who ran on to the pitch. When it was put to him that the entire thing had embarrassed Scottish soccer, O’Neill batted it away as ‘nonsense’.
On the problem of Hearts gamers being accosted by Celtic supporters on the pitch, O’Neill took purpose at what he felt was ‘hyperbole’.
Martin O’Neill applauds the Celtic followers after their dramatic final day title win towards Hearts
He additionally utterly contradicted himself – and his membership – in what turned nothing wanting an absolute automotive crash of an interview.
‘The actual fact is that once we scored the third aim, the sport was primarily over, there have been about eight seconds left, or regardless of the case could also be,’ mentioned O’Neill in reference to the Callum Osmand aim which made it 3-1.
That was utterly at odds with what he mentioned post-match on Saturday. The sport by no means really completed. O’Neill himself confirmed this to be true.
Talking after the match, O’Neill revealed that the fourth official had advised him there was nonetheless round a minute to play after Osmand had scored.
It was solely when Derek McInnes sought him out within the tunnel for a handshake that he realised the entire thing had been delivered to a end.
As a membership, Celtic launched a press release on Sunday evening by which they issued an apology to Hearts for the post-match chaos.
Then, not even 24 hours later, O’Neill pops up on nationwide radio sounding greater than just a little rattled while branding a lot of the fallout as ‘nonsense’.
Derek McInnes and Martin O’Neill shake fingers earlier than Saturday’s title decider
Maybe he was not conscious of what awaited him when agreed to do the interview. Maybe he thought it might be cosy chat together with his outdated pals. Loads of bonhomie and back-slapping.
He definitely did not sound like somebody who had a correct deal with on their transient. White and Jordan had him squirming and tied him in knots.
In a method, that is unlucky. He’s a 74-year-old man who actually would not want the effort of all this any extra. What must have been a fairytale finale to his Celtic profession is being overshadowed.
It is a disgrace that he has been caught up in all of this. However sentiment doesn’t excuse his feedback. The dearth of condemnation on his half was, frankly, a shame.
It was contradictory, one-eyed piffle from a person whose standing among the many Celtic supporters elevates him to a platform the place his phrases might maintain weight and make a distinction if he needed to.
O’Neill performed to the galleries. He must be higher than that. His remark concerning the Scottish Cup recreation at Ibrox was additionally disingenuous.
Changing into more and more agitated as White grilled him, O’Neill mentioned: ‘Was it not seen at Ibrox when each units of followers got here on to the pitch?’
For the avoidance of doubt, it was Celtic followers who spilled on to the pitch first on that event, with Rangers followers then retaliating.
This is a crucial distinction as it’s Celtic who appear unable or unwilling to get a grip on their supporters close to pitch invasions.
As written extensively in these pages over latest days, what occurred at Parkhead and round Glasgow metropolis centre final weekend was shameful.
How we transfer ahead from this – and forestall it from ever occurring once more – ought to now be the main target of everybody’s consideration.
However when somebody like O’Neill – the figurehead of a membership and a person who holds iconic standing within the eyes of followers – refuses to name it out, he turns into a part of the issue.
It is a time for management and accountability, not deflection, denial and whataboutery. These attitudes stay deeply corrosive to Scottish soccer.
The failure to sentence these pitch-invading morons within the strongest doable phrases solely allows and empowers them.
Celtic supporters pour on to the pitch throughout their title decider towards Hearts
It demonstrates an off-the-cuff tolerance to a problem which has now change into an actual downside throughout Scottish soccer.
Here is the factor. Celtic have a Scottish Cup Remaining arising towards Dunfermline on Saturday afternoon.
Suppose they rating one other late winner. What occurs then? Would followers spill on to the pitch as soon as once more?
There’s nothing to say that will not occur. Given what O’Neill has mentioned on the matter, these yobs will really feel they’ll get away with doing it once more.
This must be a time of celebration for O’Neill. If the cup closing is to be his farewell, successful a double ought to see him bow out on an unimaginable excessive.
However the masks has slipped this week. The persona of being a loveable, infectious and dittery outdated man would not fairly wash any longer.
The ramifications of what occurred final weekend will likely be felt for fairly a while, in all probability lengthy after O’Neill has left the scene.
His denial and deflection depart a bitter style. His lack of condemnation is an affront to Derek McInnes and the Hearts gamers.
To borrow a line from the person himself, his interview on the radio amounted to little greater than a pile of nonsense.
