Martin O’Neill has briefly returned to Celtic following the surprise resignation of Brendan Rodgers. Rodgers sensationally left the Parkhead club on Monday after a rocky start to the season, resulting in a disastrous Champions League exit and a disastrous transfer window.
The former Liverpool manager had consistently insisted he would only leave before the end of his three-year contract if he became ‘available’, but his departure reveals the scale of the internal conflict. O’Neill, who was Hoops manager from 2000 to 2005, took over on an interim basis alongside former player Sean Maloney.
However, hours before Rodgers’ departure was confirmed, he admitted it would be good for the game if Heart of Midlothian won this season’s Scottish Premiership, a comment that may not be well-received by Hoops fans.
Hearts opened up an eight-point lead at the top of the table and moved into pole position after Sunday’s 3-1 win over Celtic. And on Monday’s talkSPORT, O’Neill admitted: “It’s always going to be a difficult game for Celtic.
“Hearts are on the rise at the moment. I know Aberdeen won a lot of games early on last year and you knew that wasn’t sustainable, but Hearts are different.
“They are strong, they have some support, they are physical and that was my concern about Celtic.
“Brendan is right in the sense that there are 29 games left and Celtic have been there before. They need to settle down but they have lost their way a bit. Hearts are on a roll. They have a long way to go.”
Asked if this was the season to shock Scottish football, O’Neill said: “Without a doubt, now is the time. Celtic do lose games sometimes, but they used to look invincible in games. Celtic looked invincible in games.”
“Rangers are not a threat at all. We have a new manager and I think he will do something in time. But they are too adrift for that to be true.”
“But this is the moment. This is the moment for Hearts. They have an eight-point lead, which is actually a very reasonable lead. Their confidence has increased and will continue to increase from this win.”
“It’s great that things like that are happening now for Hearts, while Celtic are in a bit of a predicament. But I agree that for any team outside of the Old Firm, this is the best time to go for a win.”
“Hearts are historically a very good football club. I actually felt they were the scariest crowd outside of Ibrox because they were right in front of you.”
“They have some money behind them. (Shareholder) Tony Bloom was there and saw it. They have momentum and that’s a big thing at this point.”
“Celtic are struggling a little bit and Rangers are nowhere to be found so this is an opportunity. But as I said with Arsenal[in the Premier League]it’s a long, long road ahead and there’s still a long way to go but the momentum is gathering at Tynecastle.”
“The excitement at Tynecastle has gone into the unknown and there was a feeling among Hearts fans that they could get something against Celtic, but that hasn’t been the case for a long time. It’s going to be hard to maintain that, but maybe it’s good to dream.
“I think Ally[McCoist]summed it up well. In a way, it would be great for Scottish football if Hearts won. Paradoxically, if Celtic and Rangers don’t win, it makes you think about where Scottish football is going. It’s interesting. For the game itself, it would reinvigorate the Premiership.”
