O’Neill’s men suffered the last-gasp agony to stay half-a-dozen points adrift of pacesetting Hearts
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill during his side’s defeat to Hibs(Image: Mark Runnacles/Shutterstock)
Defiant Martin O’Neill blasted the title is far from over as he admits his side are down but most certainly not out.
The champions suffered a major blow in their bid to retain their crown when they were hit late by a Hibs sickener.
In two spells this season as the manager of the squad this term, it was O’Neill’s first domestic defeat and it was a damaging blow.
With Hearts winning their match against Falkirk at the weekend to streak six points ahead of the Hoops, Celtic were unable to make any ground back as they lost in controversial fashion.
The red card for Auston Trusty was a huge moment in the game as Celtic were chasing another one of their now-customary late winners.
Instead, the roles were reversed from recent weeks when it was O’Neill’s men who suffered the last-gasp agony to stay half-a-dozen points adrift of the pacesetters with a vital game in hand.
The gaffer, though, is refusing to back down. He’s adamant that Celtic are nowhere near out of the race as they look to claw back the gap. The manager said: “It’s a setback. But that’s what it is. We are far from finished. It’s a tough. We are six points behind Hearts.
“I think I’ve said every single week that, domestically, it’s a tough ask for us but we’re still there fighting. I definitely can’t fault the players in terms of effort and drive and determination. We’d just like to have won the game. It wasn’t to be, but it’s not over yet.”
Celtic’s loss has left them in a perilous position heading into a gruelling run of away fixtures which will push them even harder.
Following Thursday’s Europa League trip to face Stuttgart, O’Neill’s men return home for a clash against Rangers at Ibrox.
Aberdeen at Pittodrie is next in the midweek before returning to Govan for a Scottish Cup clash and high-flying Motherwell are also lying in wait back at home the week after the last-eight tie in the knockout competition.
It just made the nature of the loss even more annoying for Celtic and O’Neill knows that an arduous period lies ahead.
He’s still convinced there will be plot twists and said: “This game was always going to be difficult. Hibs are a fine side and they were unlucky not to get anything in the derby against Hearts, conceded very late on.
“You saw Livingston get a result against Rangers, so the games are difficult. I knew this to be. But I think it’s a game we could, and on the balance of play, maybe should have won. We had a lot of possession and played a lot of good stuff and that’s fine, but possession eventually doesn’t win you a match.
“It is tough when you’re in charge of the game and you are pressing and pressng and pressing, then you’re likely to take a few chances at the other end.
“Even with 10 men, we were still pressing, but the minute someone breaks the press, then you’re in danger because the extra man helps. That’s the nature of it.”
Auston Trusty after being sent off(Image: Mark Runnacles/Shutterstock)
O’Neill knows that he also has serious choices to make for the game in Germany. Although never giving anything up, a 4-1 first-leg deficit means it is highly unlikely his men are going to turn the tie around and an eye may be on Ibrox.
He was giving nothing away on that score after the Hibs loss and said: “I’ll think about that tomorrow, in terms of prioritising.”
Celtic fans left distraught and, although they lifted the atmosphere during the match, some of that was down to news of Livingston goals against the M8 against Rangers.
O’Neill said: “I didn’t realise that was what they heard. I didn’t know anything about the Rangers result until the end of our game.
“I thought the support was terrific. If that’s the reason for it, then it might have been. But I think the fans realise this has been a difficult season for Celtic, really diffiuclt, but we’re fighting. If we show the same application we did today I think we’ll still be in contention.”
O’Neill also spoke about choices after the match as he gave his take on the decision to keep Kasper Schmeichel in the line-up, despite recent criticism.
He said: “Kasper has been a really fine goalkeeper. He’s been a member of a side that won the Premier League and everything else.
“You can’t rest on laurels for the rest of your life, everybody movces on, but it wasn’t a big, big decision for me.
“I sat here on Thursday and said he’s made big saves for us and he made a save when we were 1-0 down. So he’s come out and he did fine.
“I think the competition for places should apply to everyone, goalkeepers and outfield players, but I thought he showed some character.”
While Schmeichel got the nod, others didn’t get the nod. Although Benjamin Arthur got a debut after Trsuty’s red card, fellow late-January signings Junior Adama and Joel Mvuka weren’t sighted, with the latter not even in the matchday squad.
O’Neill said: “I think it’s just getting used to the environment. These lads have played decent grades of football before.
“But it’s the intensity here at this minute and some players, like James Forrest, have been used to that sort of intensity. We’ll see. We’ll definitely make a few changes for Thursday evening and we’ll take it from there.”