12 hours ago
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Martin O’Neill called for unity at Celtic after more anti-board protests were heard throughout the side’s dramatic win away to St Mirren.
The interim manager claimed his third league victory in charge thanks to Callum McGregor’s outstanding long-range strike deep into stoppage time.
The result ensured Celtic closed the gap to league leaders Hearts to four points ahead of the Gorgie side’s trip to Aberdeen this afternoon.
Having admitted Celtic were fortunate to win the game, O’Neill was asked if the ongoing unrest was impacting things on the field.
‘That’s a good point,’ he said. ‘I probably don’t think so but I’m not sure.
‘I think there’s perhaps just an element that... I’m not saying it’s going to affect Daizen Maeda, who probably wouldn’t know what “sack the board” is, but I don’t think it’ll help.’
Martin O'Neill was delighted to snatch all three points but repeated his call for unity
Celtic fans displayed their unhappiness with the club's board with a further show of red cards
Callum McGregor's late, late goal at least put a positive spin on a tense evening in Paisley
Asked if he was disappointed to hear that the fans were not backing the team as they used to, O’Neill added: ‘They paid their money, they came here tonight. And obviously the scenes at the end were terrific.
‘We just need some sort of unification again. I know I made the point about Jock Stein. He built the football club on unification. Fans and players and team and everybody else going in the same way.’
O’Neill was asked if he could help resolve the situation. He stressed: ‘I’m only here at this minute. What you did or were part of 20-odd years ago, I don’t think makes a heap of a difference. But I would love to see it, regardless of who comes in or where I go.
‘It would be great. I’d be hopeful at some stage or another that that would happen.’
O’Neill declared himself pleased with the result but not the display of his side.
‘The frustration was the fact that we never dealt properly with the ball,’ he said. ‘When we were in decent possession, we gave it away cheaply. We got a bit more momentum going in the second half, but still, we were just cheap at giving the ball away.
‘I’m naturally delighted to get the three points. It was a great goal from a great player.
The Celtic skipper let fly with an effort from distance with seconds remaining on the clock
‘The game was obviously heading for a draw. I’m not so sure that we deserved any more than that.’
Saints boss Stephen Robinson felt aggrieved that Conor McMenamin was flagged for offside when Liam Scales got the final touch to take the ball into the net.
‘Liam doesn’t see Conor,’ he said. ‘He’s marking Jonah Ayunga and looking at him. So it’s a subjective decision, isn’t it?
‘It’s not a factual offside decision. If Conor scores then it’s a factual decision.
‘But there will be some phrase made up. Saying he motioned towards the ball is the latest one I’ve heard but that’s news to me.
‘That’s four goals in four games now. We’ve had lines drawn in the wrong place and it’s been described that they got lucky.
‘We also had a goal against Dundee United, a free-kick given by a linesman 44 yards away.
‘I’m not a big enough voice in Scottish football and don’t have a fanbase behind me of 50,000 people to change it.’
