It’s set to be an emotional day at Celtic Park on Wednesday night.
That’s because Martin O’Neill will take charge of his final game as Celtic manager after having taken over on an interim basis in October.
Celtic will host Dundee – a team that beat Brendan Rodgers’ side during the reverse fixture – and ensure O’Neill goes out with a bang.
If that happens, it will mean Celtic’s legendary coach has won every domestic game in his second spell, and even Kris Boyd is tipping his hat.
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Kris Boyd is happy Martin O’Neill has done well at Celtic
Speaking on the Warm Up, Boyd wanted to make the point that young managers would come in and ‘use the buzzwords’ of the modern game and ‘everything that goes along with it.’
But, without a doubt, through gritted teeth, given Rangers’ continual failures, Boyd explained why he is ‘pleased’ with O’Neill’s situation.
“You are going to sound surprised,” said Boyd. “I am actually pleased that it’s happened.
“When you look nowadays, especially young managers. They will use the buzzwords and everything that goes along with it.
“Martin has just gone in there. Stripped it all back. Managing people is key. That’s exactly what Martin has done. He has gone in there. He has stripped it all back. And Celtic, I wouldn’t say they are performing really well.
“But they are getting three points. Martin has been clear on that. The important thing has been the three points. That’s something that never leaves you.
“He’s gone in there. They have managed to go to tough venues as well. It doesn’t matter if it takes you until 92 or 93 minutes at Paisley. Still got the three points.
“They went to Easter Road as well, and got the three points. When you look at the way they are performing, he will know there are better performances to come, but he won’t be caring because he is getting the three points.”
O’Neill’s rant on xG
One thing is for sure, O’Neill and where the modern game has gone today don’t fit, and never will.
That was proven when the Treble-winning hero went on one of his rants about the much-talked-about and used xG and its role in football.
“It’s total nonsense,” O’Neill told The Guardian about xG in September. “You’ve got to remember what the game is about: winning football matches, and that means scoring goals, not recording the expectation of them.
‘Expected goals’ have only come about in the last few years. It’s a clueless development. Some people just use these words to try to sound clever.”
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