Dane Murray has opened up on Brendan Rodgers quitting Celtic and admits no one at the club saw it coming, and how Martin O’Neill saved the Hoops’ season.
The Celtic defender was a big part of Rodgers’ plans this season after Murray recovered from a set of terrible injuries that stalled his development in the Celtic Academy.
But after Rodgers quit Celtic, the 22-year-old has admitted that he was ‘shocked’ at the news and explains how Martin O’Neill swooped in and saved the Bhoys’ season.
Should Celtic build a statue of Martin O’Neill outside of Parkhead?
Martin O’Neill’s ‘instructions’ after Brendan Rodgers quit Celtic
When Rodgers left Celtic, it caused complete turmoil. That was until Martin O’Neill agreed to return as the Hoops legend salvaged a season that was in tatters.
Murray told The Celtic Way, “No one really saw it coming to be honest at the time,” Murray said of his mid-season resignation. “But he [Rodgers] was really good with me, the gaffer. I still call him the gaffer!
“And Kendo [John Kennedy] as well. At the time it was a big shock, but football moves on, doesn’t it?”
“I think when the gaffer [O’Neill] came in and all his staff, I think his staff are a really big part of how well we are doing as players, especially.
“I think the tactics that we get from all his staff, then the game plan we get going into games, there’s a real clear message behind it.
“So I think that really helps with being players that we can go out and perform and show what we can do with having the instructions really to go and perform.”
Martin O’Neill’s remarkable interim Celtic spells
O’Neill has managed to haul back a huge points gap from Hearts in the Scottish Premiership, knock Rangers out of two cup competitions and hauled Celtic out of the Europa League group stages over two interim spells this season.
Here is how the Celtic legend has done:
Martin O’Neill’s record in first interim spell at Celtic
- Played: 8
- Won: 7
- Drew: 0
- Lost: 1
- Goals scored: 19
- Goals conceded: 6
- Points per game: 2.63
This record included a solitary defeat to FC Midtjylland in the Europa League and a Premier Sports Cup semi-final win over Rangers.
Martin O’Neill’s record in second interim spell at Celtic
- Played: 17
- Won: 12
- Drew: 3
- Lost: 2
- Goals scored: 38
- Goals conceded: 22
- Points per game: 2.29
The second spell includes beating Stuttgart and FC Utrecht in the Europa League and knocking Rangers out of the Scottish Cup and also closing an eigh-point gap to Hearts to just two at the top of the Scottish Premiership table.
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