O'Neill gamble brings title closer
Wednesday, 4 April 2001 23:13Delighted Celtic manager Martin O'Neill revealed how a tactical gamble had put his side's championship party plans back on track. Dundee were looking likely to hold them to a 1-1 draw in front of 59,000 Hoops fans who were desperate for the win that could see the title won on Saturday. Then O'Neill gambled on throwing centre-back Johan Mjallby up front as an extra striker and the Swede responded by scoring a late winner.
He admitted: "I wanted to win the game. You have to take a chance now and again. It worked for us. It might have worked against us. Johan did great for us to win it. He has played in midfield for us and we knew he would give us a gutsy performance up there. The ball was coming back too quickly and we wanted to get hold of it. I thought he might fit the bill and I am delighted for him."
The three points means that if Celtic beat bottom club St Mirren at Parkhead on Saturday lunchtime the title is theirs in O'Neill's debut season at the helm. The former Leicester man added: "We have got a chance on Saturday to win the game and we will be going for it. We will put absolutely everything into it."
The Parkhead boss also had a few words to say about the crowd, reserving some mild criticism for their anxiety. The anxiety was almost tangible around Celtic Park once Juan Sara's equaliser had cancelled out Tommy Johnson's early opener. "I don't know why they should be so anxious. It transmitted itself to the players but they pulled themselves round. They shouldn't get as anxious as that. They should let me do all the worrying for them." (PA)
Filed by Shane Murray
