“I think we were still in the bus when Hibs scored the goal,” Martin O’Neill
Martin O’Neill was naturally delighted to leave Easter Road yesterday afternoon with all three points as the Hoops maintained their four point advantage at the summit of the Scottish Premiership, but despite a below par display, the Celtic manager hailed it as our ‘best win of the season’…
That comment is sure to raise eyebrows among the hard to please Celtic supporter base, considering Hibs are rock bottom of the Premiership and went toe to toe with Celtic for the entire ninety plus minutes.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, the veteran Irishman said: “I thought, given the circumstances, given the conditions, given the fact that we didn’t play all that well, I thought it was our best win of the season. I honestly did.
“I’m really delighted. Delighted”
“I thought it was our best win of the season. Difficult to come here in normal circumstances and to come from a goal behind after a couple of minutes as well too, I’m really delighted. Delighted.”
Martin was a shocked as everyone to concede so early, and bemoaned the opportunities spurned by his players, particularly in the first half, with Kasper Hogh the main culprit, although he stopped short of mentioning names.
“We were still in the bus when Hibs scored the goal”
He said: “I think we were still in the bus when Hibs scored the goal, really travelling here. We had a number of chances maybe that we could have capitalised on in the first half, didn’t do so.
“But we saw it through at the end. It was a difficult afternoon, but I was delighted with the side, delighted with the resilience and delighted with the way that they adapted eventually to the conditions.”
Martin accepted that come the end of the campaign he may well look back on this match as one of the most significant if Celtic go on to win sixth consecutive title, which would be 15 Scottish Premiership triumphs in 16 seasons.
‘I felt this was our best win,” Martin O’Neill
He said: “Well, of course. The end of the season is miles and miles away, but at the moment, I felt this was our best win.”
