Martin O’Neill has fired back at Rangers manager Danny Rohl after the German questioned Celtic’s ambition during their Europa League exit against Stuttgart.
Ahead of Sunday’s Glasgow Derby, Celtic had crashed out of the competition on a 4-2 aggregate scoreline, but earned a creditable 1-0 win on the night in Germany against a Stuttgart side currently sitting fourth in the Bundesliga. Luke McCowan had broken the deadlock inside the opening minute, yet Celtic ultimately could not overturn the first leg deficit.
Rohl raised an eyebrow at the fact that Celtic, having scored early, did not push harder for a bigger victory that might have given them a chance of progressing. When O’Neill was asked about those comments at his pre-match press conference, he made clear he was taken aback by them.
The 73-year-old said he was surprised Rohl would suggest Celtic were not trying to win the tie. He pointed out that Stuttgart are one of the top four sides in the Bundesliga and that being forced back during spells of the game was a reflection of the quality they were facing, not a lack of intent from his own players. He suggested Rohl might benefit from experiencing that level of European competition himself before offering such an assessment.
McCowan had added fuel to the fire after the Stuttgart win by claiming that no side in Scotland can live with Celtic when they are performing at their peak. Rohl had responded by directing the midfielder toward the league table, where Rangers currently sit two points ahead of Celtic.
O’Neill defended his player without hesitation, saying McCowan is perfectly entitled to his opinion. He acknowledged that every match since returning to the club has been a stern test, and offered his own interpretation of what McCowan was getting at, suggesting the midfielder was simply making the point that Celtic, at their very best, are a formidable side.