Martin O’Neill was joking away with the mainstream media this evening after Celtic’s 3-0 win over Aberdeen at Celtic Park…
With the Europa League signing window closing the Celtic boss made the point that to include new signings in the squad someone has to drop out and it can’t be the Scottish players who are needed for the UEFA homegrown quota.
He pointed to a similar situation in January amid a flurry of loan deals and explained how he had to explain his own error caused by misunderstanding the rules to one of the January signings. As it turned out it was a fortuitous mistake for Martin to make.
So this first deadline is NOT the be all and end all for the summer window and Celtic might use tomorrow -ahead of the Scottish window closing – to bring in additional signings.  As things currently stand Celtic has made a substantial PROFIT from player trading in the summer window so the fabled £80m resting in the PLC bank account will now top £100m.
Here’s what Martin O’Neill had to say this evening after Celtic extended their winning run in the Scottish Premiership to eleven matches…
Q: How was that Martin?
Martin O’Neill: “We played very well, some really good goals, Camilo’s a star player and I’ve got to get out of here because we’ve got a transfer deadline, a European deadline. Thank you very much!
Q: You must be happy with that?
Martin O’Neill: Â “I was. Camilo set the tone for us, I think perhaps maybe all season he’s done that. He’s a really class player, great goal and obviously until you get that goal you just have to be on your guard as much as anything else. I thought probably the big moment of the game was them hitting the bar just from the corner kick. It could have gone in, it could have been 2-1 and we go down the field and make it three. It seemed pretty comfortable at the end and we played some really good stuff as well too. Delighted with that.”
Q: Forgive me if I pivot straight to transfers already but you managed to bleed some in tonight?
Martin O’Neill: “Yeah, I’m very pleased that they’re in the door as well too. I think that they’ll definitely add something to us. I think young Joel van den Berg, hopefully the paperwork should be done maybe tonight or early tomorrow morning. While he’s very, very young, I think the blooding of these players will be really great for them. Hopefully it turns out in our favour. Who ever knows? I don’t know.”
Q: Van Den Berg will be the next one. After that?
Martin O’Neill: “We’re looking at another 15, they’re just outside the door at this minute! They’re waiting to come in at quarter past ten. They’re actually on the turnstile, some of them! We’re lucky to get some in, I’m delighted with that. We’ll see what develops over the next six and a half minutes!”
Q: How happy are you to get all these players in before the window closes?
Martin O’Neill: “Honestly, I’m pleased. The transfer window is there and I’m pleased that we have done. There’s quite a few who have left the football club. Reo Hatate is gone and Johnny Kenny is gone. I wish them all the best. So we needed people in. If there is a possibility, even if they miss the European deadline, if there is a possibility of getting someone else in, I would definitely want to do that, if we can.”
Q: Do you think it would still be worth it, even if they can’t play these European games?
Martin O’Neill: “The problem with the European things is that this time, I didn’t know the rules. I came in, in January of last time. So I ended up promising one of the players that we brought in to this squad. And then I had to tell him. He nearly took the bus home!
“So I had to tell him that I hadn’t realised because there’s only an X number you can do. You’ve got your Scottish contingent, then you’ve got a few changes that you can make. And honestly, I just didn’t know. And when he came up here, he did fine. And he didn’t make the squad. So I had to try and see what sort of positions are available.
“And really, sometimes the people who are signed to the football club, who belong to the football club permanently, or as players, maybe they deserve first shot.”
Q: Is there a priority position for you now, Martin? There’s obviously talk of the right-back coming in, maybe missing out on the midfielder from Torino?
Martin O’Neill: “I thought Scales did a couple of bad passes, which I’ve told him about, but I thought he was terrific. I thought he was terrific for us. He’s the centre-half, playing left-back, trying to get forward, trying to create things for us at home, for Kieran Tierney’s position. Hopefully, Kieran’s not out that long, but it’s a position that we’d obviously need to fill.
“Now, we’ve got little Emenalo coming in, who’s signed for us. He’s picked up an injury at this moment, but I’m prepared to wait a couple of weeks for him. And I think that with a little bit of luck, I think that he’ll be ready in a few weeks’ time. He can play left-back and he can play left-sided centre-midfield as well, too, if it comes to the point. I’m pleased. I was prepared to take that chance.
“I think that he and Shim Mheuka will do fine. They’re coming up together, they know each other very well, and it’ll be nice. I thought there were little things that Shim can do and help us.”
Q: Are you confident this is a strong enough squad?
Martin O’Neill: “One has to be confident. One has to be.”
Q: Who was it you had to let down?
Martin O’Neill: “Work it out for yourself. Thank you.”
Watch Martin O’Neill’s post match media conference below…
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1 Comment
No , Martin O’Neill was ripping the piss out of those SMSM scoops …to their faces !