Martin O’Neill reveals what he has seen from Celtic players during international break
Martin O’Neill insists Celtic’s dressing room remains united despite the club’s recent struggles putting his players under intense scrutiny.
The Hoops entered the international break on the back of a difficult run of results, including defeats to Rangers and Ferencvaros, which raised questions over the direction of O’Neill’s side.
The 74-year-old even admitted he had taken time to consider his own future before ultimately deciding to continue in the Celtic hot seat.
However, O’Neill has now moved to dismiss suggestions that recent setbacks have damaged the spirit within his squad.
Speaking to Celtic Player, the Irishman stressed that his players remain determined to respond when domestic action resumes.
He said: “We have to try and win football matches. This is it. This is what the club is based on and this is, you know, what I’ve based my managerial career on. You have to win games.
“And easier said than done, like anything else, but we have — I’ve reminded myself now that we’re actually two points clear at this moment in the league and that’s not a bad start.
“It’s very, very early. Absolutely nothing is over by, what, third week in September, although it seemed from all angles that it was.
“But no, we’re ready. And the players here who are back, the non-international players who have trained with us, there’s a good spirit about it.
“But talking about spirit, and I think this is the most important thing, there is a really good spirit among the players.
“That spirit was very high on the agenda for us winning the league last season, no question about that.
“Of course, there were moments where everybody thinks that when you lose a game that the spirit has disappeared. It doesn’t. You can actually lose football matches.
“And we have that. And when the rest of the players come back on Friday, it’s just a reminder of where they are, what they can do, what they’ve done in the past, which is part, and what they’re going to do going forward.”
