The age-old debate of how Celtic would get on if they played in the English Premier League resurfaces less than 24 hours after Martin O’Neill wins his first game in charge.
The departure of Brendan Rodgers weirdly began a conversation on talkSPORT as a Celtic fan called Jamie O’Hara and Dean Saunders to talk about Celtic beating Falkirk.
With O’Neill settling in nicely, a Celtic supporter began this strange conversation by claiming either O’Hara or Saunders could manage the Parkhead club.
Then the baffling exchange took a turn to Celtic playing the Premier League that made Saunders slap down O’Hara’s disrespectful comments about the Bhoys with a firm dose of truth about the Hoops competing in England’s top flight.
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Dean Saunders said Celtic would compete for the Premier League in five years
There is always a disparaging tone used by pundits south of the border whenever they talk about Celtic in the Premier League.
But Saunders wasn’t having any of O’Hara’s nonsense when the topic raised its head after Celtic’s win over Falkirk.
A Celtic fan called talkSPORT and said, “Celtic are one of the best teams in Europe, Scotland, Europe, the world. They’re up there. They’re up there with your Liverpool.
O’Hara: “You’re not really are you? I mean, come on.”
Celtic fan: “We had this debate before. Celtic are up there with the best and that Jason [Cundy] was slagging me off and shouting about Liverpool. Liverpool are useless.”
O’Hara: “You think you could beat Liverpool?
Celtic fan: “Liverpool are useless. When is the last time Liverpool’s actually won a game? Crystal Palace beat them. They’re useless.”
Dean Saunders interjected and asked, “Who do you think, in your opinion, is the biggest club, Rangers or Celtic?”
Celtic fan: “The two of them are on the same level.”
Saunders: “Well, good answer. I didn’t expect that.”
Celtic fan: “That’s my opinion, but what I will say, I’ve said this before us, if Rangers and Celtic went down to the English Premiership tomorrow, they’d be in the top 10.”
O’Hara: “What do you mean? What are you talking about, you would be in the top 10 in the Premier League, Steve? What are you talking about? You’re talking garbage.”
Saunders: “But if they come into the Premier League and they got £150 million every year, eventually…”
O’Hara: “They would get spanked. You would get spanked every week.”
Saunders: “If you put Celtic in the Premier League for five years, they’d end up competing for the title.”
Celtic’s next fixture is O’Neill’s toughest challenge
Celtic’s next fixture will be the toughest challenge yet for Martin O’Neill. Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup is shaping up to be a cracker.
With the Ibrox club hitting a bit of form and Celtic looking more like an attacking unit, the Hampden tie could be the next one, if the Bhoys win it, to give the team a much-needed confidence boost.
Rodgers failed to record a win in any big game since the Champions League draw with Bayern Munich and if O’Neill can get one over Rangers on Sunday, then it will help galvanise the support even more behind the team.
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