Martin O’Neill has finished his interim spell with a perfect domestic record at Celtic.
The club legend bowed out with a 1-0 win over Dundee on Wednesday. Not as comfortable as he would like, but a fitting end to a six weeks which has reinvigorated Celtic.
O’Neill walks out into the sunset to be replaced by Wilfried Nancy with immediate effect. The Frenchman was announced less than an hour before kick-off at Celtic Park.
But the evening was all about Martin, who gave a short speech to the Parkhead crowd after the final whistle.
The game was won by a Daizen Maeda header in the first-half – but the goal came at the cost of a black eye for the forward. O’Neill commended his bravery after the match.
Martin O’Neill on Daizen Maeda’s Celtic winner vs Dundee
Few goals from Maeda’s Celtic catalogue give a better representation of his bravery and determination.
Given that a January departure is a strong possibility, we should cherish every minute of him while we still can.
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Speaking after the game, O’Neill joked that he wouldn’t have gone for the header as he was a ‘complete coward’.
He told Celtic TV: “Oh, absolutely. I said to Maeda and I said to Arne: ‘I wouldn’t have headed that!
“I wouldn’t have gone for it. Honestly, there’s no point in me changing now from being a complete coward.
“So, great. [Maeda]’s gone very bravely tonight, as did Arne on Sunday.”
Asked about the moment he was serenaded by the fans at Celtic park, O’Neill said: “The reception I got is really fantastic.
“But the backroom staff have been sensational. And you know what? The game’s still about players. They’ve turned up, and they’ve won the matches.
“We’ve had a number of serious injuries to major players here. We’ve had to do without that. Players have stepped up to the plate every single time.”
Martin O’Neill jokes he is a ‘complete coward’ after Maeda header
Daizen Maeda’s Celtic season so far
Maeda didn’t quite hit the heights in the season’s early stages – but his bombshell revelation that he wanted to leave Celtic gave something of an explanation for this.
In his first game after making his transfer request public, he scored a brilliant diving header against Kilmarnock, reassuring fans that he would still show full commitment in a Celtic jersey.
His next goal was another crucial header, a last-minute winner against Motherwell.
But in Scoring against Hibs and Dundee this week, he made it goals in back-to-back games for the first time this season.
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