One of the most entertaining parts of Martin O’Neill’s second spell in charge of Celtic has been his interviews.
The mood around Celtic needed a lift when Brendan Rodgers left in October, but not only has O’Neill done that by winning games, but how he has handled the media.
In truth, it’s something that is dying out of the modern game, that forthright nature of managers and players, because too many of them are robotic and media-trained now.
As Celtic beat Hibernian over the weekend, O’Neill was in his typical mood on the BBC.
Which player has impressed you the most since Martin O’Neill took over?
Martin O’Neill responds to the suggestion that the Celtic hero is ‘unflappable’
There has been a lot of uncertainty around Celtic this season, even with the delay in announcing Wilfried Nancy.
That’s why reporter Kheredine Idessane asked O’Neill on BBC Radio Scotland whether that ‘uncertainty’ will continue, given that he is a ‘unflappable’ and ‘quite calm’ character.
But O’Neill couldn’t believe he was described in that way, and made it clear that he is the ‘exact opposite.’
Kheredine Idessane: “From my experience, you have always been a quite unflappable character and quite calm. Does that go on, given the sort of uncertainty?
“You wonder how many games you might have. Whether this (Hibernian) is going to be your last one. It turns out it’s not.”
O’Neill: “I can’t believe you could say that, because I am not unflappable. I am exactly the opposite of that. I get myself concerned about football. I have always done the same thing.
“Even when I had, at my disposal, some phenomenal players. I was still in the same sort of state.”
When Celtic face Dundee on Wednesday night, for O’Neill’s final game in charge, his final set of interviews will be a must-watch.
Nancy has big shoes to fill because the champions of Scotland are now in a different headspace than when Rodgers left.
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