Martin O’Neill spoke to the mainstream media after Celtic’s 1-0 win at McDiarmid Park in opposition to St Johnstone final evening with the one ‘objective’ of the match being scored by Mika Baur regardless of Celtic creating an abundance of probabilities within the match…
ninth September 2026; McDiarmid Park, Perth, Scottish Premiership, St Johnstone versus Celtic; Mika Baur of Celtic celebrates after he shoots and scores within the 52nd minute to make it 1-0 to Celtic. Photograph Vagelis Georgariou
Haissem Hassan did have the ball at the back of the online however the VAR rule change on Saturday evening that price Celtic a objective at Paisley wasn’t utilized in Perth so a lineman’s error was not checked out by the referee and a wonderfully reputable Celtic objective was dominated out, disgracefully.
Right here’s all the pieces that was stated with the primary questions coming from Peter Martin at PLZ…
Martin O’Neill at McDiarmid Park. ninth September 2026; McDiarmid Park, Perth, Scottish Premiership St Johnstone versus Celtic; Photograph Vagelis Georgariou
Q: Martin, what did you make of that efficiency?
Martin O’Neill: “I don’t know, I actually don’t know. I assumed we began off with a whole lot of possession. I assumed we began to create a number of issues. Once we had been doing that, it seemed as if there was no person within the penalty field for us. Then Sam Johnstone makes an awesome save, which is a giant, large second within the recreation for us. As a result of it might have been Saturday evening another time. We bought a bit extra tempo into the sport within the second half, bought the objective and noticed it via. We might have scored various targets, however we made that look very, very tough certainly.
Q: You had about 35 crosses into the field. Is {that a} supply of positivity or actual frustration?
Martin O’Neill: “No, genuinely it’s optimistic. A few of the crosses that we put in had been simply meat and drink for the goalkeeper. However general, sure, delighted that we had been getting balls in from huge.”
Q: On the weekend, you talked about the truth that you knew you had been in a battle with St Mirren. You knew they had been a top quality outfit. Had been you in any method shocked by what St Johnstone supplied tonight?
Martin O’Neill: “No, by no means. I noticed them opening recreation of the season. You may’t choose all the pieces by that, however I assumed their enthusiasm, their method of enjoying. Towards Kilmarnock, I assumed they did very well. Then I watched the sport on TV in opposition to Hibs and I assumed they had been wonderful, actually wonderful within the recreation. No, they didn’t shock me in any respect.
“In lots of features, they mirrored St Mirren. In direction of the top of the sport, when the sport was nonetheless within the stability, I assumed we defended stoutly sufficient and noticed it via. However sure, I wasn’t shocked by them as a result of I feel they’re actually first rate.”
Q: How inspired had been you by Sam Johnstone’s debut, particularly that save within the first half?
Martin O’Neill: “The save was incredible. Actually, actually sensible response save. He’s been a high quality goalkeeper. It’s only a matter of getting in control with issues. I feel he took a little bit of cramp then. A goalkeeper taking cramp, no matter subsequent. However anyway, I feel Peter Shilton took cramp method again in 1979 as properly too, so I shouldn’t complain.”
Q: Does Sam Johnstone offer you actual meals for thought going into the weekend? Viljami Sinisalo has been dependable?
Martin O’Neill: “Sure, he’s completed very, very properly certainly. However you have to discover out. Whereas I don’t wish to use video games like this, I’ve to search out out about various gamers. As an illustration, Oliver Sorensen began the sport tonight. Our primary man solely got here on within the final 10 or quarter-hour. So it does, it provides you meals for thought.”
Q: I used to be going to say, was that one of many extra pleasing features, that you may clean up the staff and nonetheless see out the factors?
Martin O’Neill: “Effectively, it’s in that side. So, Sorensen will get on, Duran doesn’t begin for us. He’s simply been class. He seemed drained within the recreation in opposition to St Mirren. However I’m not shocked for the quantity of issues that he does for us, each with the ball, which is terrific, and in addition the work that he does off it. He’s second solely to Daizen Maeda by way of closing gamers down. So I needed to attempt to see if we might do with out him, and the reply might be not!”
Q: Simply on the goalkeeping scenario, Martin, did you might have a chat with Viljami Sinisalo earlier than?
Martin O’Neill: “Sure, sure. However you want competitors for locations. Sure, I spoke to him, and he’s taken it. We’ll see what occurs on Sunday. However we’ve bought masses and a great deal of video games, and it’s very nice to know that I’ve truly two actually first rate goalkeepers.”
Q: Do you count on to name on Cameron Carter-Vickers come the weekend?
Martin O’Neill: “I’m hoping that he can be out there, sure, for us. He hasn’t hardly missed a minute of pre-season, and in addition the video games. He’s been out for a yr, and he was simply feeling actually sore on Saturday night. I’ve bought a lot time for giant Dane Murray. I’ve bought a whole lot of time for him. I feel he’s bought a correct profession. His accidents have curtailed him for some time, however he’s simply coming via. I feel he’s bought a very first rate future, and issues to choose up on. However sure, by way of Carter-Vickers, he must be okay for Sunday.”
Q: Glowing in your reward of Camilo Duran, do you assume there’s a wee little bit of a insecurity or extra to return from Kasper Hogh, who seemed as if he was going to be scoring targets for enjoyable?
Martin O’Neill: “I feel it’s what you do. It’s your general image. In fact, centre-forwards, or strikers, they stay and die by targets. When he scored the hat-trick in opposition to Kilmarnock, he was up and working, which was terrific. No, I don’t assume that. That was his first time again, actually, from the factor that he bought in Austria. I assumed that he did high quality with out getting a objective. Typically it occurs, however he’s making an attempt to get into that place, which I assumed he did within the second half.”
ninth September 2026; McDiarmid Park, Perth, Scottish Premiership, St Johnstone versus Celtic; Mika Baur of Celtic shoots and scores within the 52nd minute to make it 1-0 to Celtic. Photograph Vagelis Georgariou
Q: Mika Baur bought a objective tonight. What did you consider his efficiency and the way he’s settling into life?
Martin O’Neill: “Attempting to settle in. He’s small. I instructed him, should you’re small on this recreation, you’ve bought to be actually sensible. So he’s aspiring to be sensible.”
Q: Do you continue to assume there’s extra to return from him?
Martin O’Neill: “Completely. There’s positively extra. As soon as he will get used to the surroundings, throwing him in his full debut for us in opposition to LASK, that was robust for him.”
Q: Kieran Tierney’s return is well timed as properly?
Martin O’Neill: “Sure, after all. It’s good to see him. Attempting to get him on the sphere earlier than the top of the sport. Even when he’d not bought on, he’d have been alright for Sunday.”
Q: Are you seeing a whole lot of positives in your thoughts, Martin, forward of Sunday?
Martin O’Neill: “Naturally, I’m happy we’ve received the sport. Now we will focus from tomorrow onwards on the sport. It’s a giant match. I’ve not paid any consideration. I stated to the lads yesterday that crucial factor was tonight. We made a few modifications within the aspect and also you’re all the time involved of constructing modifications within the staff, however the very best place to know isn’t basically within the coaching floor, it’s discovering out what they will do within the matches.”
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