In this video
- O'Neill says the first half was really like a basketball game and that Celtic had a little bit of luck, with a visiting shot in the first minute ruled marginally offside and a great chance moments later. The visitors started the brighter and Celtic took time to get going.
- Put to him that a handsome lead is no reason to take the foot off, O'Neill says he did not even have to say it in the dressing room, because the players absolutely know. He thinks Celtic are capable of scoring again and will probably need to, and he is not playing the opponent down.
He was exceptional. Really exceptional… His goals were terrific. His play was great.
there's always important goals, but sometimes an important goal is just somebody tapping it over the line. But these goals were magnificent.
- O'Neill says he genuinely thinks Celtic can improve, mostly in fitness, after a really strong game they had to be at almost every minute. He rates the defending strong overall and says the goalkeeper made a big save at 2-0, because at 2-1 the visitors would have been in the ascendancy.
- Asked whether this was a Champions League level performance, O'Neill works his way to the line the post's title carries: lots of things happened during the game and he cannot take it all in, but when he analyses it again he thinks the rest of the staff, and the supporters, are thinking that the tie is far from over.
- There was a great atmosphere in the first couple of minutes and even before the game started the noise was remarkable, O'Neill says. The crowd realised very quickly they were in for an evening, both teams played great football, and to him it felt like a Champions League evening.
- Asked whether big money buys big players, O'Neill says he does not think they paid an awful lot for the striker next to the fees talked about for the Premier League, puts the figure at four and a half million or something like that, and says the player has paid his ticket by now.
- O'Neill says he does not want to play it down, but genuinely thinks Celtic are a long way from the money that comes with qualifying, and that next Tuesday will be a major test. He says the club is on the plus side on wages and hopes to add someone for European football.
He's got a big heart. That's nice to see. And really nice to see. And he's a local lad as well, too. And loves it. Loves the football club. Loves playing. His enthusiasm is boundless.
Martin O’Neill’s full press conference after Celtic beat LASK 3-0 in the first leg, six days before the Celtic vs LASK collapse in Linz. The Celtic manager praises Camilo Duran’s double but warns the tie is “far from over&
O’Neill says Celtic “rode a little bit of luck” early on, with LASK having a goal ruled out for offside in the first minute, before Benjamin Nygren’s opener and two goals from Duran settled the first leg at Celtic Park. He describes Duran’s display as “really exceptional” and says the striker has “paid his ticket by now” at around £6 million.
He also discusses Viljami Sinisalo’s save at 2-0, Mika Baur’s first start, Colby Donovan’s performance at full-back and the wait for a scan on Alistair Johnston. Asked about the financial windfall of reaching the UEFA Champions League league phase, O’Neill says Celtic are “a long way from that” and calls the second leg “a major test”. Celtic went on to lose 5-1 after extra time in Austria and exit 5-4 on aggregate.
0:00 O’Neill on Celtic 3-0 LASK
1:30 Camilo Duran’s double
2:35 A Champions League level performance
3:35 The Celtic Park atmosphere
4:25 Mika Baur’s first start
5:40 Duran’s fee and the transfer window
7:30 Colby Donovan and Alistair Johnston injury
