BBC pundit admits he’d be scared to challenge Martin O’Neill after James Forrest Celtic call

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Martin O’Neill is not afraid to make the big calls. That’s why he was, and still is, a successful Celtic manager.

In Celtic’s win over Auchinleck Talbot in the Scottish Cup, O’Neill made ten changes to the team that beat Falkirk the previous midweek.

O’Neill defended his Celtic starting XI as the Hoops boss explained he took the game as an opportunity to give players a chance to impress, as well as rest some of his top performers.

But when the Celtic boss made a big call to sub James Forrest during the game, BBC pundit Ryan Stevenson said the legendary winger should be ‘raging’ after that call. But with a caveat.

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Ryan Stevenson admits he wouldn’t stand up to Celtic boss if subbed like Forrest

O’Neill decided to take Forrest off just after half-time at Rugby Park and Stevenson said the Celtic winger was the Bhoys’ best player.

After saying Forrest should be raging, Stevenson admits that if that was him playing for O’Neill, there is no way he would tell the Celtic boss.

Stevenson said on BBC Sport website, “I would be raging if I was James Forrest, unless he’s injured.

“The fact that he’s not played as much and he’s been playing well today. I think he’s probably been Celtic’s best player.

“I probably wouldn’t say it to Martin O’Neill’s face, right enough but I wouldn’t be happy.”

Forrest wasn’t at his best as Celtic beat Auchinleck to progress to the next round of the Scottish Cup, so why Stevenson thought he was playing well is beyond us.

But like the whole team, it wasn’t just the Celtic winger who was poor on the day.

James Forrest’s remarkable Celtic appearance total

Forrest is officially Celtic’s most decorated player of all time. With 26 major honours to his name, the winger has seen it all domestically in a Hoops jersey.

To date, Forrest has made 552 appearances for Celtic scoring 111 goals and providing 110 assists, in a career that has spanned over 17 seasons at the club.

The legend has also scored in every single Celtic season he has played in as Forrest continues to contribute to the Parkhead club’s remarkable success story.