Sutton voiced his fears that more results like 3-1 defeat to Midtjylland could see O’Neill’s Celtic standing diminished
Celtic head coach Martin O’Neill
Martin O’Neill has brushed off Chris Sutton’s concerns over his Celtic ‘legacy’.
O’Neill’s former star striker and Record Sport columnist voiced fears of the interim stint going on too long – if there were more outcomes like the 3-1 Europa League loss against Midtjylland.
But the caretaker head coach brushed off the comment that the surprise second spell in charge could damage his reputation with Celts.
O’Neill said: “Chris Sutton said something about, ‘oh, I should leave now because of the legacy’.
“I’m telling you honestly, that legacy thing does not concern me one jot. Never has done.
“If you want to talk about legacies, look up there at Jock Stein – that’s Celtic. Everything else is secondary – and a legacy has never bothered me.
“When you’re dead, you’re dead. Who cares?”
Meanwhile, O’Neill moved to soothe Callum Osmand’s suffering as he faces the prospect of time out with injury.
Callum Osmand
The Premier Sports Cup semifinal goal hero is awaiting results of a scan on his hamstring.
But the Celtic interim head coach has conceded ‘it doesn’t look good’.
Osmand was devastated in Denmark on Thursday night after being stretchered off late in the 3–1 loss to Midtjylland.
O’Neill has assured the breakthrough star, who turns 20 today, that he can regain recent momentum.
O’Neill reported: “He’s just gone off for some scans to the hospital and we’ll have some news later on, but it doesn’t look good.
“Hamstrings in our days seemed to be about three weeks to four weeks; now they seem to be double the time.
“It’s a shame because he was just getting going, wasn’t he?
“Honestly, the lad was totally distraught about it after the game, as you would expect.
“He waited for his chance and I thought he was doing fine and then that happened
“But I said to him: ‘It’s a setback, that’s all’. He’s young, he’ll get over it and he’ll come back again.”