More than a quarter of a century after his first taste of the white-hot cauldron of an Old Firm derby, Celtic manager Martin O'Neill admits he remains addicted to the fixture's sheer madness. The veteran manager, 74, reflected on his enduring connection to the historic rivalry, which he described as a lifelong compulsion offering the ultimate high or low.
O'Neill's initial encounter with the derby in August 2000 saw his side achieve a significant 6-2 victory over Rangers at Celtic Park. However, his second experience was less favorable, with Celtic suffering a 5-1 defeat at Ibrox. "The second one wasn’t that good," O'Neill recalled. "We got mauled — absolutely bleached 5-1 at Ibrox."
Despite the intense pressure and the prospect of facing thousands of opposing fans, O'Neill finds himself anticipating the upcoming Premier Sports Cup quarter-final at Ibrox. He acknowledges the sleepless nights the fixture can cause, but also the feelings of pure euphoria it can bring. "I still worry, I have done all my life," he stated. "I continue to worry about these matches, it doesn’t get any easier."
This match marks the first of an Old Firm double-header, with the teams set to meet again in the Premiership the following weekend. Celtic will also begin their Europa League campaign against Ferencvaros shortly after. O'Neill is determined to navigate this challenging period of three games across different competitions without defeat.
He believes the upcoming derby could significantly influence the outcome of the subsequent league encounter, drawing parallels to last season. In that instance, Celtic came back from a 2-0 deficit to secure a draw at Ibrox before defeating Rangers on penalties in the Scottish Cup the following week. "I always used to feel that Old Firm matches, particularly the league games, could define a season," O'Neill said. "These games can have a knock-on effect psychologically when you play each other twice in the space of a week."
The manager is currently contemplating his team selection, particularly in the forward line. Fit-again Kasper Hogh is likely to lead the attack, with Camilo Duran also expected to feature prominently after his strong start to the season. O'Neill is considering tactical flexibility, potentially employing a 4-3-3 formation or a 3-5-2 system, which he believes could benefit Duran's preference for playing centrally. "I think he can play as a centre-forward or just off the centre-forward," O'Neill commented on Duran's best position. "I think those are probably his best positions."
O'Neill also noted Hogh's performance in a recent game and emphasized his importance, particularly after the upcoming international break. "Kasper was good the other night," he said. "It would be nice to go through this period unbeaten if we possibly can. By the time we then come back from the international break, Kasper will be a big player for us."
While O'Neill expresses a desire for a return to "normal life" and admits he would be glad to see the back of the derby's pressures, a part of him clearly thrives on the intensity. "There’s part of me — there must be part of me — that loves it," he conceded. "But did this type of fixture make me want to stay? No — it made me think the opposite. Absolutely."