Martin O’Neill delivered his heartfelt final words to the Celtic squad following their 1-0 win over Dundee, with Celtic TV capturing the emotional moment in the dressing room.
As his interim stint came to an end, O’Neill continued offering encouragement to his players. He jokingly urged Benjamin Nygren to become a Swedish fourth in the line of national greats behind Bjorn Borg, ABBA, and Henrik Larsson.
Liam Scales was singled out for praise as well, with O’Neill noting his standout performances in key moments throughout the season. As expected, Celtic captain Callum McGregor also received glowing remarks, with O’Neill calling him “magnificent.” Collectively, he told the squad that although he is 73, he felt like 95 after the Falkirk game—but thanks to the players, he felt “23 again.”
In his post-match press conference, O’Neill highlighted players like Paulo Bernardo and Michel-Ange Balikwisha, who saw limited game time during his interim tenure.
He encouraged them, saying the new manager could allow them to flourish and even surpass those who had been regular starters under him.
Reflecting on the team’s recent performances, O’Neill praised their resilience, pointing to the comeback after the Midtjylland defeat and the victory in Feyenoord as highlights. “These games will not be easy, but they give the players a real chance to shine,” he added.
The video of O’Neill’s final dressing room address is now available, marking the end of his interim period as Wilfried Nancy prepares to lead Celtic in Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash against Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.
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