Brad Friedel has recalled a great story from when Martin O’Neill was manager at Aston Villa.
O’Neill guided Villa to three consecutive sixth-place finishes at Villa Park, reuniting with several players from his prior spell at Celtic
After signing in 2008, Friedel played every league game for which he was available under the Irishman.
The story recalls O’Neill’s straight-talking, uncompromising, Brian Clough-inspired approach to management that is still paying dividends today:
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O'Neill has signed a one-year deal with the option for a further year…
Brian Clough tells Martin O’Neill story: ‘You haven’t kicked a ball for me’
Speaking on talkSPORT with Jim White and Simon Jordan this week, Friedel said: “Every player knows where they stand.
“I’m going to give a story, and I’m not going to say the name of the player, because that would be wrong.
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“But I will say it was Martin O’Neill, because he won’t mind me saying this. You’ll get enjoyment.
“There was a player who came into the Aston Villa changing room, and he was like, ‘I need to talk to the manager’.
“Us, as players, were like: ‘Yeah, you’ve got to go and talk to him!’, Because we knew how it was going to go.
“So he bursts in there, and he knocks on the door, and he’s all bold and brave. Martin O’Neill goes: ‘How can I help you?’, so he goes: ‘I need to know where I stand.’
“[O’Neill] goes: ‘You haven’t played for me or kicked a ball for me in three months. You know exactly where you stand. Now turn around and get out of my office!’.
“Players know where they stand. If you’re starting, you know where you stand in the manager’s eyes. If you’re a substitute, you know that the manager does like you, but maybe it’s things in formation or whatever.
“If you’re not playing, also, you know exactly where you stand.”
👀 Joe Hart fancies being in with the Green Brigade one day!
Martin O’Neill’s impact in the 2025-26 season at Celtic
Upon the sudden resignation of Brendan Rodgers, we were also given the news that O’Neill would return to Glasgow after six years away from football management.
Any questions over his age were completely quashed as the Hoops won seven of their eight games under his interim charge… only to make way for the disastrous reign of Wilfried Nancy.
Upon his return, the team’s form picked up again, but a league and cup double looked a long shot.
23 games, 19 wins and just two defeats later… O’Neill delivered a double that nobody foresaw… or wanted, outside of Celtic Park.
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