Martin O’Neill expressed his worries about how much of a hit Scotland’s coefficient has taken in ’18 months’, as Celtic bowed out of the Europa League on Thursday.
The second leg tie in Stuttgart started in a very interesting fashion because Luke McCowan scored inside the first minute, but it would prove to be the only goal of the game, and Celtic would lose 4-2 on aggregate.
O’Neill told his post-match press conference that he was ‘delighted’ with how his players performed in Germany, before talking about where Scotland stands in UEFA’s coefficient table.
“Naturally, I am delighted,” said O’Neill about the second-leg win. “Delighted with the effort and the determination that they put into the game. They got off to a really great start.
“I heard, within 18 months, the side that now finishes second will go into a play-off game for a match in the Conference league,” said O’Neill. “That’s not fantastic news.”
Celtic will now stay in Germany overnight, before returning to Scotland on Friday, and then preparing for the Glasgow derby against Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday.
Celtic’s Europa League run comes to an end despite the win against Stuttgart 🥲
But who gets your man of the match from that spirited performance?
Martin O’Neill praises Celtic’s performance in Stuttgart, prepares for Rangers game
This could be O’Neill’s final European game as a manager, and what a way to bow out, from his own selfish perspective.
That’s two away wins O’Neill has registered in Europe as Celtic manager, and remember, for quite a long time, the Hoops couldn’t buy a win on the road to save their lives.
That’s why O’Neill is taking positives from this Stuttgart win, but he is now aware that attention turns to Ibrox and a crucial Scottish Premiership title clash.
When it was suggested that Celtic could take some confidence from this Stuttgart win into the weekend, O’Neill wanted to shut it down by stating that it’s a ‘different’ game altogether.
But to try and get a gauge over the type of team Celtic have just faced, O’Neill, stated, via BBC Radio Scotland, that he thinks this Stuttgart side are capable of winning the Europa League.
“Naturally, I am delighted. Delighted with the effort and the determination that they put into the game,” said O’Neill. “They got off to a really great start.
“We felt, if we don’t concede in the first 20 minutes of the match, and maybe even nick a goal, we could still be in the tie. We are playing a very, very good side. A side, from my viewpoint, who are capable of winning the competition.
“Naturally, it’s a different game (against Rangers). We don’t have that much time to get ourselves ready for it. But we will go again.
“We are staying overnight here, and we will travel back tomorrow. Then get ourselves ready for it, and that’s what we can do. That’s what we will do. The result is in the lap of the gods.
“It’s not my main aim. At least it’s keeping Scottish football, I suppose; in that sense, the coefficient keeps dropping down.
“I heard, within 18 months, the side that now finishes second will go into a play-off game for a match in the Conference league. That’s not fantastic news.”
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