Let’s be honest, if it wasn’t for Martin O’Neill, then Celtic’s title chances would be dead in the water by now.
Yes, there has been a lift, a change of mood and a new lease of life brought in during these post-split fixtures, but it has all been built by O’Neill during these past few months.
The fact that Celtic are still on for a domestic double is remarkable, as Auston Trusty shared what the man in the Parkhead dugout is like behind the scenes.
Make no bones about it, you don’t get more old school than O’Neill, as Trusty told Celtic TV that his interim manager is ‘calm’, but ‘aggressive’ when delivering his pre-match team talks.
What O’Neill’s team talks are like: “He’s calm, but also a little bit aggressive,” shared Trusty. “He really wants to hound in his message.
“But he has a lot of experience. He knows exactly what to say, and we react well to it.”
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Auston Trusty hails Martin O’Neill’s career as a player and a manager
There will be many players inside that Celtic Park dressing room who probably don’t know that O’Neill had a better career as a player than as a manager.
And remember, his managerial career speaks for itself, as Hoops fans can testify.
The former winger won two European Cups under the legendary Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest, and Trusty is certainly aware of his manager’s credentials.
“He’s just fantastic,” said Trusty. “What can you not say about him? Obviously, as a player, he had a fantastic career; as a manager and a coach, a fantastic career as well.
“He is just that character for us, as a team. The first stint when he came here. Then, to come back in his second stint, he has just kept the ride going and kept the team going.
What O’Neill’s team talks are like: “He’s calm, but also a little bit aggressive,” shared Trusty. “He really wants to hound in his message.
“But he has a lot of experience. He knows exactly what to say, and we react well to it.”
Is O’Neill different before games like Rangers? “No, he is the same every game,” added Trusty. “Every game is a Champions League game for him.”
O’Neill’s stats as a player and a manager
To have a legendary playing career is hard enough, but to also do the same as a manager is pretty remarkable.
Very few figures in football history belong in that elite bracket, an exclusive pantheon shared only by the likes of Johan Cruyff, Pep Guardiola, and Carlo Ancelotti.
But O’Neill can stake his claim to be alongside those men, and his career speaks for it.
- O’Neill’s trophies won as a player: Eight, including two European Cups
- O’Neill’s trophies won as a manager: Nine, including the Treble at Celtic
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