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martin o’neil Said Heart Winning the Scottish Premiership would be “wonderful” for Scottish football and it is the perfect time for a comeback as well as a surprise title challenge. celtic as interim manager In the wake of Brendan Rodgers’ resignation,
O’Neill has made an impressive return to Parkhead and takes up his first managerial post in six years and two decades after leaving Celtic in 2005.
His appointment on interim basis The announcement was made late on Monday night, alongside the news that Rodgers had left the club following Sunday’s defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle.
Hearts are in pole position to shock the Old Firm this season, having opened up an eight-point lead at the top with both Celtic and Rangers in limbo.
And O’Neill appeared Monday morning to deliver his verdict talksportSaying that it is the right time for a team from outside the Old Firm to win the title for the first time in 40 years and admitting that Celtic are in a bit of “trouble”.
“It was always going to be a difficult game for Celtic,” O’Neill said on talkSPORT. “The hearts are rising at the moment. I know last year Aberdeen won a lot of games early on and you knew it wasn’t sustainable, but the hearts are different. They’re stronger, they’ve got a bit of support, they’re physically stronger. That’s been a concern of mine for some time about Celtic.
“Brendan is right in the sense that there are still 29 games left and Celtic have been there before. They need to settle down and they have lost their way a bit, hearts are very high. There is still a long way to go.”
Asked whether now is the season for a “disruptor” in Scottish football to win a first league title outside the Old Firm, O’Neill said: “Without a doubt, that’s the thing. Celtic can actually lose games whereas previously they looked invincible in matches. Rangers are no threat, although with the new manager coming in, I think he can do something in time. But they’ve strayed so far. Yes, this is not true.
“But this is the moment, this is the time for Hearts. They’ve gone eight points clear. It’s a really good lead. Their confidence has increased, and it will be boosted by that win too. Those things are happening now for Hearts and it’s great, while Celtic are in a bit of trouble. But I think this is the best time for any side outside the Old Firm to go and win.”
Rangers have turned to former Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl after Russell Martin’s disastrous short reign, while Ange Postecoglou has been installed as the favorite to make his return to Celtic and take charge on a permanent basis following his dismissal at Nottingham Forest.
And with so much turmoil around Celtic and Rangers, O’Neill said Hearts have “momentum” behind them under Derek McInnes. The Jambos have won eight of their opening nine matches of the season and drawn one.
O’Neill said, “Historically, Hearts are a very good football club. In fact, outside of Ibrox, I thought they were the scariest crowd to go to there because the crowd is right on top of you.”
“They have a little money behind them. [Shareholder] Tony Bloom was up there watching it. His pace is increasing at the moment, which is a big thing.
“Celtic are struggling a bit, and Rangers are nowhere to be seen, it’s an opportunity. But it is, as we spoke with Arsenal [in the Premier League]There’s a long, long way to go, and a long way to go, but momentum is growing at Tynecastle.
“The excitement at Tynecastle, going into the unknown, there was a feeling among the Hearts fans that they might get something against Celtic, which wasn’t the case for a long time. It’s going to be difficult to maintain that but you can also dream.
“I think Ally [McCoist] Summarized it well. For Scottish football, on one level, Hearts winning would be surprising. Paradoxically, for Celtic and Rangers not to win it, you are left wondering where Scottish football is going. it’s interesting. For sport, it would reinvigorate the Premiership.