{"id":454933,"date":"2026-03-03T07:26:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T07:26:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/454933\/"},"modified":"2026-03-03T07:26:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T07:26:11","slug":"callum-mcgregor-explains-martin-oneills-ibrox-half-time-masterstroke","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/454933\/","title":{"rendered":"Callum McGregor Explains Martin O’Neill’s Ibrox Half-Time Masterstroke"},"content":{"rendered":"

Callum McGregor has revealed how Martin O\u2019Neill handled half-time at Ibrox, and it was not what some might expect. Two goals down in a derby, with the title race slipping away, it could easily have turned into a shouting match.<\/p>\n

Rangers had dominated large spells of the first half. Celtic were second to loose balls and struggled to play through midfield. The stadium was loud and the momentum was with the home side.<\/p>\n

\"\"1st March 2026; Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland; Scottish Premiership Football, Rangers versus Celtic; Tuur Rommens of Rangers tackles Hyunjun Yang of Celtic<\/p>\n

Speaking after the game, McGregor explained that O\u2019Neill did the opposite of what many imagine in that situation. There was no panic. No dramatic speech. Just clear thinking.<\/a><\/p>\n

The captain made it clear the message came from O\u2019Neill and his staff, who broke the game down and pointed the players in the right direction before they went back out.<\/p>\n

He said: (TCW<\/a>), \u201cGood, just nice and calm.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s easy to sort of get carried away in this fixture and start shouting and screaming, and what you need is calm heads.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd at half-time as well, you know, sort of find the problem, find the solution and then go from there. So he was excellent.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the staff were really, really good, identified the solution to the game, gave us information and then the players took it on and went and played really well in the second half.\u201d<\/p>\n

What McGregor described matched what everyone could see. Hatate coming on settled things down and gave Celtic a grip in midfield.<\/a> That let McGregor<\/a> find space and get on the ball more. The passing was sharper. Rangers stopped stepping out and began to drop back.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t only about shape or personnel. It was about mindset. Celtic looked clear-headed after the break instead of rushed.<\/p>\n

\"\"1st March 2026; Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland; Scottish Premiership Football, Rangers versus Celtic; Reo Hatate<\/a> of Celtic shoots and misses from the penalty spot and then scores a rebound in the 91st minute to make it 2-2<\/p>\n

O\u2019Neill\u2019s calmness showed in the way they played. In this fixture, it\u2019s easy to lose control. Celtic didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

They didn\u2019t leave with all three points, but they changed the feel of the game. In a title race this tight, that swing in momentum could count for plenty.<\/p>\n


\n \"Tees
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