What interim Celtic boss said about Hearts as he's already backed Jambos to ride Tony Bloom wave towards title
Celtic are in the middle of a crisis and their interim gaffer has provided Hearts backing.
He might be in the dugout at Celtic for the time being - but Martin O’Neill has already heralded Hearts as a serious Premiership title contender.
Brendan Rodgers has left his role as Hoops manager in a shock exit on Monday night, and he’s been replaced by club hero an ex-boss Martin O’Neill. Shaun Maloney, former Hibs head coach and player pathways manager, has come in alongside him off the back of a 3-1 defeat by the Jambos on Sunday that put Hearts eight points clear at the top of the Premiership.
O’Neill has confirmed he only knew about the interim role late on Monday evening, but before that, he appeared on talkSPORT to dissect the Hearts win against Celtic. In that, he suggested that this was the moment for Hearts to end the Old Firm’s grip on title glory that has been in place since the 1980s, amid investment from Tony Bloom.
Martin O’Neill on Hearts title chances
He said: “This is the moment, this is the time for Hearts. After the weekend, they have put themselves in a really decent position. I get back to the point. I think it’s early. Hearts have shown a great determination. Their record is great, at this minute. With Celtic not being as strong, as physically as strong, as maybe you would want them to be. It is possible.
“Celtic can actually lose games, whereas before, they looked invincible in matches. Rangers are no threat whatsoever. They are so far adrift it’s untrue. But this is the moment, this is the time for Hearts. They have gone eight points clear. That is a decent enough lead, really. Their confidence has grown, and it will grow from that victory.
“Hearts are, historically, a very, very fine football club. In fact, outside of Ibrox, I felt that they were the most intimidating crowd to go to, because the crowd are right on top of you. They have got a bit of money behind them. Tony Bloom was up there watching it. They have momentum going, which is a big thing, at this minute.
Martin O’Neill on returning to Celtic
“With Celtic struggling a little bit, and Rangers nowhere to be seen, this is an opportunity. But it is, as we talked about at the top of the programme here about Arsenal, a long, long way to go, and there is a long way to go, but momentum is gathering at Tynecastle.”
On his return to the dugout, O’Neill told the broadaster on Tuesday morning: “I got a call late afternoon, early evening yesterday, from Dermot Desmond and Dermot asked me would I step in because Brendan had resigned from the football club. It's obviously the shock news really as much as anything else shocked me as well but just to step into the breach and just do it on a short-term basis until a permanent manager is appointed.
“Like everything else I took a gasp of breath and thought is this real or surreal. It's difficult really to turn down somebody who gave you the job in the first place when he had some great options way back 25 years ago. So from that viewpoint, maybe from the time that I pulled myself off the floor, I probably thought then maybe I should do it.