🎙️ Interview Preview | Martin O’Neill (06/05/26)

Added: 2026-05-10

[00:00:06]Martin, it was another post-split three points with a a really hard fought win against Hiburni in the Easter road. How is your mood just now and how confident are you in what lies ahead in the next couple of weeks?

[00:00:18]>> Uh well mood is pretty buoyant for a start. That's um the most important thing. I think that yeah, you're right.

[00:00:25]It was a hard-fought game. Um we actually played pretty well with 11 B11.

[00:00:32]Thought we came off a little bit at 11 v10, but anyway um we won the game uh in the actual off the bench to win it for us. But I just thought eventually we made it we bit more difficult for ourselves than than perhaps we should have done. I conceded a poor goal just before halftime set you back a little bit because if there was an opportunity to go and get the second goal then maybe just after halftime that's what or my thoughts were in my head anyway at the time but um it wasn't wasn't happening and uh then we had a very very good claim for a penalty when Nigram was pushed over and um wasn't given don't know what the referee or the linesman saw or didn't see in that one and of course there was a contentious equalizer by Hibs because it looks if it looks pretty clear to me that the players handled the ball. Okay, got all those things out of my system gone now. It doesn't really matter. Big game, really big game at the weekend and we have to win.

[00:01:32]>> As Rangers, as you alluded to, they are up next. They might be a bit of a a wounded animal after their defeat to hearts. As you said, you are a veteran of this fixture, but each one always seems to have its own narrative, story, and unique drama. This one and Sunday will be absolutely no different. What kind of challenge, Martin, are you expecting from Rangers come Sunday?

[00:01:53]>> Oh, very strong challenge, obviously.

[00:01:56]Um, you mentioned this about the about the winded animal. Um I think that um if you if I look back last week, they played exceptionally well first half against Harts within complete control of the game. Got the goal in front and um and the turnaround was Harts were obviously going to have a reaction. You can't be leading that league for that length of time and not have something and um and they did. and and I I think that um it kind seemed as if it spooked Rangers a little bit that Okay, so that was that game last week. They've lost the match. They're now seven points behind Hearts and from that viewpoint, certainly from a Hearts Rangers viewpoint, it looks a long way off then.

[00:02:39]You know, you're looking for a lot of favors from people and as you say, there'll be some drama to unfold at some stage or another.

[00:02:45]>> And just finally, Martin, you spoke about the the power of the Celtic Park crowd. If you had one message to the supporters coming along in Sunday, what would it be?

[00:02:55]>> The message is anything like the support that we received in recent weeks where there's a definite togetherness. I think that I've often said this here in in my return spell because I I never really experienced this before in my time. I'm talking about my my period 20 odd years ago at Celtic where there was a a unification with both clubs sorry with club um with supporters and the and um and the players that was very very strong I suppose really we had um there had been a spell before that there where we'd not been used to winning anything and so maybe that togetherness galvanized both both supporters and the team and when it's all together then then there's this this great feeling of unity. Now, uh obviously the the results are the most important thing, but the power of the the fans is fantastic. So, I don't probably really need to give them a message. I think they know what to do.