Martin O’Neill dressing room praise of Kelechi Iheanacho says everything about Celtic trust. It was not left for the media. It was delivered in front of the squad.
Celtic beat St Mirren 6-2 in a thrilling but nerve-wracking Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden and the Hoops striker played a big part in the win.
Iheanacho earned praise from O’Neill for a performance that changed the game. His goals did not just contribute, it shifted the entire result.
🍀 @CelticFC manager Martin O’Neill reacts to booking a place in the final, and shares his excitement about the prospect of facing Neil Lennon in the final
“He’s been fantastic for me” 🗣️#ScottishCup pic.twitter.com/YB0ad7QN9v
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Celtic moment that led to Martin O’Neill dressing room praise
O’Neill made the turning point clear when reflecting on the match. He pointed directly to Iheanacho’s goal as the moment everything changed.
The Celtic boss said, “Obviously, he’s had a really great career, you know. In terms of the ability to hold the ball up and it was always the problem here is that he has had injury problems.”
The context matters because it frames expectation. O’Neill acknowledged what Iheanacho has been through before focusing on what he is delivering now.
He added, “But he looks good, he’s proved he wants to do really well. That’s the whole thing about him.”
Celtic trust in Kelechi Iheanacho is now being shown publicly
But it was what Martin O’Neill did in the Hampden dressing room in front of his Celtic teammates that proved how much the big striker is being trusted by the Hoops boss.
He said, “Anyway, listen, I’ve praised him enough about five minutes ago in the dressing room, I think he’s quite surprised that I praised him.”
That is not routine feedback. Dressing room praise highlights the contributions a manager wants the squad to recognise.
O’Neill reinforced the impact again. He said, “No, he’s not, because he’s delighted. But as I said, the cross coming in and him scoring the goal was the turning point in the game.”
The repetition is deliberate. It links Iheanacho’s performance directly to the result and then elevates it in front of the squad.
That is how trust is established at Celtic. It is not gradual or implied, it is made clear in moments where outcomes are decided.
Iheanacho did not just score a goal. He earned recognition where it carries the most weight, and that confirms how he is already viewed inside this Celtic squad and by O’Neill.
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