Former Celtic manager Martin O’Neill was bullish about the chances of Celtic’s Scottish Premiership title rivals Hearts – just hours before he was appointed to the dugout at Celtic Park in the wake of Brendan Rodgers’ acrimonious departure.
Between 2000 and 2005, the 73-year-old helped the Scottish side secure the title three times, claimed the Scottish Cup three times, and guided them to a UEFA Cup final.
On the heels of Rodgers’ incendiary exit, O’Neill returns only in a temporary capacity alongside former player Shaun Maloney, with the club looking to appoint a permanent head coach without delay.
But in the hours before taking charge ahead of Wednesday’s game against Falkirk, O’Neill – who has not managed for over six and a half years – was likely not thinking of returning to the club as he admitted that it would be good for the game if Hearts were to win the Premiership on talkSPORT.
The Northern Irishman, who has regularly worked for as a pundit and analyst alongside managerial roles, shared that he believed the team needed to play with more physicality if they were to challenge high-flying Hearts.
‘Hearts are on the rise,’ he said in discussion with Jim White. ‘I know this time last year Aberdeen won a host of games early on and you knew that was never sustainable. They just couldn’t do it.
‘Hearts are a different kettle of fish. They are strong, they have got a bit of backing, and they are physically strong.
‘Celtic can still play some beautiful football but you have got to add to that by being a bit physical. When teams are physical against you, you have got to be able to do that.
‘Celtic just need to settle down. They have lost their way a little bit, Hearts are riding high, a long way to go.’
O’Neill added that he did not believe Celtic were ‘as physically strong’, and noted that they ‘can actually lose games’ rather than looking ‘invincible’.
‘This is the moment, this is the time now for Hearts,’ O’Neill continued. ‘They have gone eight points clear, and that is a decent enough lead, really. And their confidence is growing, and it will grow from that victory as well.
‘All things are happening for Hearts, it’s great, whereas just at this minute Celtic are in a wee bit of trouble.’
The former Aston Villa and Sunderland manager added that he thought it would be ‘absolutely’ a sign of good health for Scottish football if Hearts was to claim the title over his former club.
‘I think Ally (McCoist) summed it up well,’ he added. ‘For Scottish football, on one level, for Hearts to win it would be amazing.
‘Paradoxically, for Celtic and Rangers not to win it, you’re thinking where is Scottish football going. It’s interesting. For the game itself, it would reinvigorate the Premiership’.
But O’Neill will now have skin in the game again as he and Maloney attempt to immediately resurrect the club’s fortunes as they sit eight points adrift of the league leaders.
Rodgers resigned on Monday evening, one day after Celtic lost 3-1 to Hearts on the road, and just over two years after he re-joined his former club in 2023.
As news broke, the former Leicester City manager was publicly lambasted by major shareholder Dermot Desmond, who accused him of being ‘divisive, misleading, and self-serving’ in an extraordinary statement.
Rodgers was also accused in the statement of ‘contributing to a toxic atmosphere around the club’ and fueling ‘hostility towards members of the executive team and the board’.
‘I must also express my deep disappointment at the way the past several months have unfolded.,’ the statement read. ‘When we brought Brendan back to Celtic two years ago, it was done with complete trust and belief in his ability to lead the club into a new era of sustained success.
‘Unfortunately, his conduct and communication in recent months have not reflected that trust.’
Rodgers, whose contract was set to expire at the end of the season, had been critical of what he perceived to be strategic failures in recruitment and a lack of investment in the summer transfer window.
Over the summer, they spent £13.3million on signings – only around half of what they accrued from selling important players.
He also blasted what he believed to be a ‘cowardly’ act from a senior club official when it was claimed that Celtic had been briefing against him in the media.
Daily Mail Sport has contacted Rodgers for comment.
