O’Neill believes the reaction to Wednesday’s controversial incident has been over the top
Celtic boss Martin O’Neill(Image: SNS Group)
Martin O’Neill insists he isn’t surprised by the VAR meltdown – claiming EVERYONE wants Hearts to win the title.
Celtic‘s stoppage-time penalty at Fir Park has caused mass hysteria across the footballing world, with high-profile names like Gary Lineker, Jeff Stelling and Ally McCoist among those taking aim after Motherwell’s Sam Nicholson was penalised for a handball.
Jambos boss Derek McInnes branded the call “disgusting”, although new images with different angles of the flashpoint appear to show Nicholson’s hand brushing with the ball.
O’Neill is adamant John Beaton was RIGHT to point to the spot but says the handball rule should be reviewed this summer.
He said: “It’s been magnified because of the occasion as much as anything else. A couple of things. One – I think it’s a penalty. He’s handled the ball, his arm is around his neck too, but that’s another thing.
“In the wider scheme of things, we’ve seen penalties given througout Europe that looks really harsh. The handball should be a major discussion point in the summer to see what we’re doing.
“The handball should be uniform, straightforward. This accidental handball in unnatural positions… people even being pushed into situations – all that has to look at. But as the rules stand at this minute, it’s a penalty.
“Am I surprised? No, because everyone wants Hearts to win. If it wasn’t Hearts, it’d be Rangers or someone else. That’s the nature of it. I motivate myself from it.”
Celts stand 90 minutes away from one of the greatest title triumphs in the club’s history. But O’Neill reckons the table-topping Jambos hold an advantage heading into the game.
He said: “I’m really looking forward to it now. It’s a big game, naturally, we have to win it. Hearts don’t. So the advantage is with them in that aspect. But we’ll go out all guns blazing.”
“If you’d have said to me after Tannadice we’d have to win all our games, I’d have thought that’d have been a tall order. I just think the players are ready for the game.
“They’ve had things their own way in recent times, now they’ve had to fight. The gam eis in the balance. We’re at home, we have to win. Hearts have to avoid defeat. It’ll be a tough game for both teams.”
Meanwhile, O’Neill confirmed Saturday’s league finale will almost definitely be his final game in the Parkhead dugout.
He added: “More than a reasonable chance that it will be my last game. I suppose it is emotional. Genuinely, it was a privilege to come back again for a start.
“I’d never have thought in a million years that this would’ve happened. I should actually enjoy it. When I left here in 2005, I didn’t come back as a manager in 2007 or 09. I had to wait 20-odd years to do that.”
