Martin O’Neill calls Celtic’s 4-0-to-exit collapse vs LASK one of his most painful nights
Martin O’Neill said Celtic’s Champions League qualifying collapse from a 4-0 aggregate lead to defeat by LASK in Austria on Tuesday was among the most painful nights of his managerial career, after the team lost 5-1 on the night following extra time.
Celtic entered the second leg having won the first tie 3-0 and extended that advantage when Callum McGregor scored in the 21st minute in Austria to make it 4-0 on aggregate; the side then conceded and were eliminated after extra time.
O’Neill, who has overseen more than 300 games as Celtic manager and is 74 years old, said the result ranked highly on his list of disappointments. “I would say absolutely, yes,” he said. “I’d put it down before the disappointment of losing the Uefa Cup final in 2003, but it’s so, so disappointing.”
Discussing the match itself, O’Neill listed missed chances and turning points. “We should have been out of sight by half-time. We scored a goal, which was great, we missed two great, great opportunities. And then we give them a lifeline just before half-time and then one just after it. And they come roaring back.”
He also addressed responsibility for the defensive lapses. “And obviously we conceded, from our viewpoint, not good goals at all. But that’s my team and that’s my responsibility.”
When asked whether his squad was strong enough, O’Neill said: “These are tough games. And it might only be a Champions League qualifying game, but it felt like a Champions League game. I thought they were a fine side. But that doesn’t matter. We should have been able to have seen it through. And we didn’t do. Talking about the squad, that’s for another day.”
McGregor, the captain, accepted there were no excuses and spoke to Amazon Prime after the match. “We got what we deserved,” he said. “I thought we were so passive. All night. We actually looked scared to go and win the game, and when you are 3-0 up it’s psychological. To be honest I didn’t think we were that good in the first leg either. We scored at good times and kind of got away with it. You go 3-0 and you think you’ve got a real chance but when you play like that you can’t have any excuse whatsoever. We have to suck it up, apologise to the supporters and the club because there is no way that we should lose that game … Now you’ll see what kind of characters are in there.”
The defeat means Celtic drop into the Europa League and the club will face a financial hit that the report says will cost at least £20m.