Luke McCowan hails O’Neill effect ahead of Martin’s last match in charge

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The Celtic Star

·30 novembre 2025

Luke McCowan hails O’Neill effect ahead of Martin’s last match in charge

Luke McCowan hailed Martin O’Neill for guiding Celtic to a memorable win over Feyenoord in Rotterdam, ahead of today’s lunchtime kick-off at Easter Road, admitting that working with him has matched exactly what he pictured as a lifelong fan of the club…

Luke McCowan of Celtic and Tom Lowery of Kilmarnock Celtic v Kilmarnock, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 9 November 2025. Photo Mark Runnacles IMAGO/Shutterstock

McCowan believes O’Neill’s effectiveness comes from his ideal mix of light-heartedness and authority, noting that the 73-year-old can earn the squad’s full respect while still making them laugh when it’s time to ease the tension.

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His disappointment is that O’Neill isn’t a bit younger, as it would have allowed him to stay in the job for longer, with his second stint as manager due to finish after today’s match against Hibernian at Easter Road.

Martin O’Neill during the Premier Sports Cup Semi Final match between Celtic and Rangers at Hampden Park on November 02, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Although that reality brings a hint of sadness, McCowan feels that sealing a rare European away victory is a pretty special farewell gift from the legendary Celtic boss.

“His main message was that as long as we defended the set pieces really, really well then our qualities would take over, and I think that was the confidence he gave us,” McCowan said via The Herald.

Luke McCowan – St Mirren v Celtic, 23 November 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

“We knew we were going to be under pressure a lot. They are a side that can play good football, but he just said to us to go out and play our stuff and that we could win this game. And we managed it.

“He’s amazing. Just an unbelievable character. The way he talks in the team meetings and that, it’s just brilliant. He just says stuff that is at the top of his mind there and then, and it just breaks the ice within the whole room.”

McCowan added: “He’s able to take the heat off a serious situation or a serious team talk, he’s able to make it fun and light but at the same time tells you that there are demands that come with playing for this club.”

“That’s the main thing he always pushes, is those demands. Even right after the game there he came in and said, ‘Right lads, we’re in tomorrow, we’ve got a game on Sunday’. That was his first message. You can tell he’s been a top manager and that is why he is so respected.”

“That is what he is literally in here for, and his best quality is man managing people and getting the best out of the crowd that he’s got.”

“It’s just been great seeing the sort of demands he places on everybody, knowing that when you play for Celtic this is what is needed,” the Celtic midfielder continued. “Then he’s just brought that humour with how he is, and it’s been great. It’s been class.”

“It’s been like a time machine, and just how I thought it would be. I would have loved to have seen him when he was 20 years younger and probably had more energy and more hunger!”

“He’s been great for the boys as it has shown, and as it will for Sunday too, and we just need to keep pushing and putting on performances.”

Conor Spence

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