“So yeah, they becalmed my dreadful insecurity problems,” Martin O’Neill | OneFootball

Martin O’Neill revealed his pre-match message to his Celtic team ahead of last night’s Scottish Premiership match against Falkirk at Celtic Park…

Celtic interim manager Martin O’Neill during the Premier League match between Celtic and Falkirk at Celtic Park on October 29, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Coming on the back of consecutive league defeats to Dundee and Hearts and the resignation of former manager Brendan Rodgers, the players would hardly have been in the best place collectively or individually ahead of this ‘must win’ match.

Yet the interim manager, who knows the job like the back of his hand, was able in a very short period of time, to transfer the style, attitude and confidence of all the players who got minutes last night and we’ll undoubtedly see the same for other players who have yet to take the field under O’Neill’s leadership. So what exactly did he say to the Celtic players in the dressing room ahead of their impressive performance and a 4-0 victory?

“I said I know that the confidence has been a wee bit low. That’s the most natural thing in the world. Even the very, very best side, if you’re not getting results, confidence is gone. And players then stop doing things that they almost naturally would do,” Martin O’Neill said.

“There’s some of the lads in the dressing room in there that would have no idea who I was, but they’re only about 10. And some of the other lads, I said that we have quite a number of winners in the dressing room. “That’s really important. Those lads have experienced some lows during the course of the season and then fight back.

“The captain, he’s a real quality player. But there were great performances all around today and this evening, just to win. So yeah, they becalmed my dreadful insecurity problems. To be honest, I’m delighted to win the game. But there wasn’t a thought about anything else.

John McGlynn manager of Falkirk during the Premier League match between Celtic and Falkirk at Celtic Park on October 29, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“The job that John McGlynn has done with Falkirk is phenomenal. And I thought the opening 20 minutes, they’d broken through, could change the game. Schmeichel makes a really great save for us at 1-0. Those are big moments.

“Eventually we’ve come through and we did really well. So getting back to the message, the message was we’ve got to win this. We’ve just got to win the game.”

Martin O’Neill is back. Here we go!

Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter, signed copies by Danny McGrain available from celticstarbooks.com

Don’t miss the chance to purchase the late, great Celtic historian David Potter’s final book. All remaining copies have been signed by the legendary Celtic captain  Danny McGrain PLUS you’ll also receive a FREE copy of David Potter’s Willie Fernie biography – Putting on the Style, and you’ll only be charged for postage on one book.  Order from Celtic Star Books HERE.

Celtic in the Eighties and Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style both by David Potter. Photo The Celtic Star

Danny McGrain signing copies of Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Photo: Celtic Star Books

More Stories / Latest News

“So yeah, they becalmed my dreadful insecurity problems,” Martin O’Neill

Oct 30 2025, 8:42

Celtic 4-0 Falkirk – “I thought the players did really brilliantly,” Martin O’Neill

Oct 30 2025, 7:51

Celtic 4-0 Falkirk – St Martin of Parkhead as Hearts Start to Falter

Oct 30 2025, 7:23