Martin O’Neill is often a quiet observer on the training field.
In fact, in the past, he’s been known to not be seen at the training ground at all.
But the Celtic boss is always finding new methods, working with a younger generation of players in interim charge of the Hoops.
He has got the best out of Hyunjun Yang across his two interim spells, and in a brilliant new training clip, the winger’s respect for O’Neill is clear.
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Martin O’Neill gets involved with Celtic’s Hyunjun Yang in training
In the short clip via Celtic’s YouTube channel, O’Neill can be seen walking up from behind Yang and swiping the ball away from the winger.
Laughing, the 23-year-old turns around for an embrace with the Celtic manager.
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Despite coming close to leaving at the beginning of the season, Yang has emerged as a key figure in Celtic’s attack.
He is currently the squad’s second top-goalscorer. Among those strikes were a sensational solo strike in an eventual defeat to Rangers, as well as crucial goals away against Hearts and Feyenoord.
After the sale of Nicolas Kuhn last summer, few would’ve expected Yang to have been the one trusted to replace the German’s 36 goal contributions last season.
But very little about this season has gone to plan. Not many could’ve foreseen Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain turning out for Martin O’Neill’s Celtic back in June, either.
He’s far from perfect, but Yang’s overall contribution from this campaign will give the club’s scouts one less headache for an inevitable rebuild this summer – and that’s a favour they could do with.
Speaking earlier in the season, O’Neill described Yang as ‘terrific’ after his man-of-the-match performance in a win over Kilmarnock.
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The 74-year-old is reaping the rewards from Yang’s first two years of adaptation in Glasgow, during which he started exactly a quarter of the Hoops’ league games.
Counting only O’Neill’s spells this season, Yang has been almost ever-present.
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