Celtic boss Martin O’Neill just gave an absolute masterclass in “don’t ask me anything” before the Europa League 8pm BST kick-offs, totally blowing off TNT’s Connie McLaughlin when she dared ask about team changes. It was a pre-game moment nobody saw coming, and it left everyone wondering what the heck is going on.
The Goalie Switch and the Brick Wall Response
McLaughlin started simple, asking O’Neill to explain the thinking behind replacing goalkeeper Sam Johnstone with Viljami Sinisalo. And what did she get? An unnecessarily abrupt and cranky response! O’Neill fired back, “No I’ll not talk to you about the thinking behind that… he was always going to play…” He didn’t stop there, adding, “believe it or not, Connie, my job is not actually to explain every single situation to you… do you know what I’ll do?… I’ll tell the fans… through my Celtic TV.” Talk about a cold shoulder! Is that really how you talk to the press before a big game?
“Absolutely Not” and Backhanded Praise
Thinking she might have better luck, McLaughlin tried to pivot, asking if he’d like to talk about the “other three changes.” His response was just as brutal: “No, absolutely not… I don’t want to be ruinous here of this situation…” He then just told her to “start again, and tell me all about it… give me the rest of the changes…” After McLaughlin listed them, O’Neill finally seemed to soften a bit about James Forrest, saying he was “delighted you’re taking about James Forrest… he’s been a fantastic player… getting on a little bit… he’s been a fantastic impact sub…” But even that came with a jab, “let’s see what he can do… can he last the game?… I doubt it very much… thank you.”
So, what are we left with after all that? A manager who openly refuses to explain his lineup decisions to the media, preferring to address “his” fans through “his” channel. He gave a veteran player some compliments but then immediately questioned his endurance. It’s a fiery pre-game performance for sure, leaving a ton of questions hanging in the air for Celtic heading into their Europa League matches tonight.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Guardian.
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