As the Scottish Premiership hurtles toward a sensational three-way title battle between Celtic, Hearts and Rangers, the release of the post-split fixtures has sparked furious debate.
The revelation that Celtic will host Hearts at Parkhead on the final day of the season has sent rival fans into a predictable meltdown, fuelling wild conspiracy theories of SPFL favouritism.
But Martin O’Neill has been quick to shut down those crying about the make-up of the post-split fixtures by explaining why the champions of Scotland are playing on home soil for the final fixture of the campaign.
“I think there is some sort of march taking place in Glasgow in the early part of the split, so the Rangers game fell into the middle,” stated O’Neill. “I think that was the reason.
“Then, consequently, the Hearts game would have fallen into the last match.”
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Your first thought when you see the fixtures…
How many points will we pick up?
Martin O’Neill reacts to post-split fixtures
In truth, by the time that Hearts fixture comes around, Celtic might not even be in it, and then other conspiracies will start about how the current champions are trying to stop Rangers from winning the league by lying down for the Jambos.
Either way, Scottish football simply isn’t used to this. Why? Because Celtic have dominated title after title for nearly two decades now.
On top of that, as O’Neill mentioned on talkSPORT, the final Glasgow derby of the season, which will be played on Sunday, 10 May, had to be somewhere in the middle, like it has always been.
Then you have the fact that Celtic have three home matches to contend with, and Rangers are on the road three times.
All in all, someone, somewhere, is going to be upset because you can’t balance out the scheduling to favour all.
But whilst others moan, O’Neill, who has been here many, many a time, has made it clear how he is feeling about it all.
O’Neill: “It’s going to be exciting. For us, not just playing it down. But we are still playing catch-up.”
Jim White: “Martin, lots of conspiracy theories that Celtic are at home on the final day of the season to Hearts.”
O’Neill: “No, I don’t know why…that’s the draw. Generally speaking, when I was managing years and years before. The Celtic and Rangers game was one that they wanted to play relatively early in proceedings.
“Now, I think there is a reason why that can’t happen. I think there is some sort of march taking place in Glasgow in the early part of the split, so the Rangers game fell into the middle. I think that was the reason.
“Then, consequently, the Hearts game would have fallen into the last match, I assume. Or Hearts could have been the first game, that I don’t know. You will have to ask the SPFL.”
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