Tomas Cvancara in action at Tynecastle. Hearts v Celtic, 25 January 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou.
Q: What did you make of the debut of your striker?
Martin O’Neill: “Yeah, once he got used to the surrounds, a difficult game for him to come into, I thought his run for the goal was fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. So he’ll do fine for us during the course of time when he gets to know about it. All he’s had is a couple of training sessions with his teammates. But yeah, he’s got really good pace, did well, has good control, and I was really pleased with him. I think he was holding his hamstring, I was worried about that, and that’s when we replaced him.”
‘It’s not a red card… It’s really as simple as that’ 🟥
Martin O’Neill speaking after Celtic’s 2-2 draw with Hearts at Tynecastle ⤵️#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/dKpf3Bq5dK
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) January 25, 2026
Q: Were you disappointed with the set-pieces in the manner of the goals that you lost?
Martin O’Neill: “Oh, you’ll always be, absolutely.”
Q: Martin, when we spoke to you on Friday, you said that if you’d lost today, nine points would be a really big gap. Do you think in that manner, especially given you had the last 15-20 minutes with 10 men, it’s a better point for you than it is for Hearts today?
Martin O’Neill: “Maybe considering the circumstances, I might not disagree with you. They had maybe the opportunity with us down to 10 men, having played on Thursday night, it might have been that chance. But in the overall take of the game, the draw probably is a fair result.”
Benjamin Nygren celebrates. Hearts v Celtic, 25 January 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou.
Q: How do you think it leaves the title race in general?
Martin O’Neill: “Well, we had one minute to three, we had a tough time, and we still have a tough time. It’s another game gone past, but we’re still in it.”
Q: Martin, are you slightly worried? The games are coming fast. Are you worried that this team is running fumes about this now?
Martin O’Neill: “Yes, it is a concern. We played 60 minutes or something like that there on Thursday evening with 10 men. Not as long obviously today, but an important thing psychologically as much as physically. But they’ve shown great resolve, I must admit, really terrific resolve.”
If Celtic manage to win the league it will be with the weakest title winning squad in my memory.
As an adult I have been a supporter for 60+years.
Cal Mac is no longer able to dictate midfield and has no support.
MON and coaching staff working wonders with what they have.
As for the match officials it has been ever thus.
Hail Hail.
Similar to you JOHNG —I have been actively supporting Celtic for 71 years . A poor team and the decline could be seen coming for the last two seasons under BR . Journeyman players , brought-in just to keep ahead of the Ibrox Ploughboys and it has backfired on the whole club . This policy was further exasperated by the engagement of :- Paul Tisdale and Wilfreid Nancy—–Where the F##K did they get those two ????
No left-back to cover when TIERNEY went off at Tynecastle——What the F##K is going on with the B- team & Academy players ? Surely a club of Celtic’s stature should have ” Oven ready ” young players ready to step into the First-team squad , when required . Top English teams do this so why not Celtic ? Or are the Board mis-managing our ” Half-time Draw ” ticket money also ? The present Board are running around with there heads in buckets , thinking they are performing ” World -Class in everything they do ” ?
They are a crowd of amateurs in Celtic blazers who fail to realise that even despite Celtic’s vast resources ; we now have a team which is no better than most of the lesser clubs in the SPL . A Board who , try to save money by investing in “Bargain Basement” players who are surplus to requirements by other clubs , or are , ” past their SELL-BY date . The Celtic support do not deserve this and they should not suffer these clowns any longer . They bring in Martin O’Neil as a BUFFER to save their backs just as the British Crown established the Orange Order to save their backs in Northern Ireland .
We are now in the Twenty-first century and the vast majority of the Celtic support are wise to your , “Cheap-skate” tricks—Your days are numbered ; just like some of your players like : – Like Tierney , McGregor , Hetate , Maeda , Yang , Engels , McCowan ,Forest ; to name but a few —-Some have been great servants to Celtic and some have failed to produce but no organisation can progress whist carrying ” Lame Ducks ” . There is no sentiment in business ; the time for change is at hand and as Jock Stein stated , ” The Celtic jersey does not shrink to fit inferior players ” .