Celtic

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland

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Celtic interim manager Martin O'Neill has been talking to the media before his side's Scottish Premiership match against Kilmarnock on Sunday.

Here are the best bits from his news conference:

• Callum Osmand has gone for a scan on the hamstring injury he sustained in Thursday's defeat by Midtjylland, but O'Neill says it "doesn't look good".

• Fellow striker Kelechi Iheanacho is not in contention for Sunday's match and will be absent for another couple of weeks.

• O'Neill stresses Midtjylland are a very strong team, but says the defeat is evidence of how far Celtic are behind where they want to be.

• He says he is not aware of any update regarding the appointment of a new manager.

• O'Neill dismissed Chris Sutton's comments that poor results during this interim spell could damage his legacy at Celtic.

• He adds: "I've honestly no concern about a legacy, never have had. It genuinely doesn't worry me one jot, never has done. When you're dead, you're dead."

• The Northern Irishman thinks he will probably look back on this interim spell with disbelief in a year's time, but says if nothing else, he will always have the victory over Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final.

• If there was to be a new manager in place on Monday, that would be "fine" by O'Neill.

Caleb Akpo-Young
BBC Sport Scotland

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An injury to Callum Osmand compounded Celtic's misery on a painful Europa League night in Denmark as they were soundly beaten by Midtjylland.

The 19-year-old, who had come off the bench at half-time and won the penalty converted by Reo Hatate in the 3-1 defeat, was stretchered off in the closing stages and faces a spell on the sidelines.

So where does Osmand's absence leave Martin O'Neill's striker options?

It says much about the lack of armoury up front that losing Osmand - who was making just his third appearance and has yet to start a game - is a blow.

Celtic are already without first-choice strike Kelechi Iheanacho beacuse of a hamstring injury suffered in the previous European game against Sturm Graz. The Nigeria international didn't travel with the squad to Denmark and will be out for "a few more weeks", according to O'Neill.

So that leaves Johnny Kenny, who has three goals in his past three appearances, as the main man up top, although Daizen Maeda can also shift from wide to the central role, as he proved to devastating effect last season.

Beyond that, the only other option is Shin Yamada. The Japanese forward was signed from Kawasaki Frontale for £1.5m in the summer but was not included in Celtic's Europa League squad list along with other seemingly isolated players Hayato Inamura and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey.

His last appearance came as a substitute in Brendan Rodgers' final game in charge, the 3-1 loss to Hearts. Prior to that, the 25-year-old had not featured for nine matches.

Yamada is yet to start a game for Celtic, but could he come in from the cold to stake a claim in a threadbare frontline?

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Scott Bain says Falkirk have helped him rekindle his passion for football after several seasons as a back-up at Celtic.

The 33-year-old joined the Premiership newcomers on a one-year deal after his contract at Parkhead expired and has since made 14 appearances.

Bain was named in Steve Clarke's Scotland squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Greece and Denmark having won the last of his three international caps in 2019.

Scotland's regular first-choice Angus Gunn is out injured and he believes his move to Falkirk has thrust him back into contention.

"It was all about getting regular games, playing again," he said. "I wanted to see if I still had this desire and hunger.

"And thankfully, after a couple of weeks, I knew that I did. I'd still had that fire in the belly, as they say, and wanted to improve and be better. And over the course of the pre-season, I got my eye back in and I felt really good and really comfortable."

Bain won 14 major honours with Celtic, but had dropped to third choice in his final season.

He was full of praise for Celtic and his time there, but says he missed the "buzz" of being involved on matchday and his priorities in life had shifted.

"There were times when I thought, that's fine," he said of his situation in Glasgow. "Monday to Friday, really enjoyed it, training hard. Everything at the club was fantastic.

"And then it would come to a Saturday and you'd do the warm up. You'd feel the buzz of the game and then the boys would go out. If you weren't on the bench you'd be sat there and you'd think, 'what's the point?' It's difficult.

"If I was just me and had no responsibilities, then I think I probably would have left earlier. But me and my partner, we have a young boy now. So I think the responsibilities of that sort of kept me in.

"Yeah, I get paid well. I get everything that I need. I'm missing the game, but overall, is this going to benefit my family more to be here? And I think at the time it did.

"But the last year I wasn't on the bench really at all. I felt like to go through life without the purpose and the motivation to get better and to play football and to really enjoy it every day. It took over and I needed to get that back."

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We asked for your views on Celtic's 3-1 defeat against Midtjylland in the Europa League.

Here's what some of you said:

John: I don't think we should read too much into this game. We know we are below this level at the moment. I believe we should concentrate on our domestic games and try and rebuild from there. One of the things that I think is obvious is we need bigger and stronger players to match the physicality of these other teams.

Steven: We've seen this performance coming since transfer deadline day. Now here we are with virtually no forward options and a threadbare squad. I'm so glad we didn't end up in the Champions League. This year I'm not sure we would have coped with Conference League, which is where this club is heading if nothing changes.

James: Really poor defensive performance. Underlines what we knew from last season's cup final, that a number of players are adequate for our domestic games but the lack of quality is seriously exposed in Europe. Let's forfeit Europe this season and win our domestic competitions. Concentrate on bringing in a top manager and an injection of quality players throughout the team.

Patrick: It's now obvious that not all the problems are resolved, if it wasn't obvious already. Very tired players meaning they switched off too much. The injuries are really concerning now, that could be our undoing.

Andy: Could have been worse and demonstrates the lack of quality and depth in the squad. Exertion from Sunday can't be used as an excuse. I can't understand why no matter who is in charge we never change for Europe. Set-up is same as playing in SPFL when the opposition is 100 times better.

Paul: Back to reality with yet another European away-day nightmare for Celtic whose frailties were totally exposed by a very dominant Midtjylland side. Unless the hierarchy in the boardroom invest more money into buying quality players who can perform in Europe, then these poor results will continue I'm afraid.

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Former Celtic player Johan Mjallby on TNT Sports

This must be a wake-up call for everyone. I do think the manager would want to play with two strikers, but he can't. I don't think it would matter if he had four world-class strikers if you can't defend.

BBC Scotland chief sports writer Tom English on BBC Sportsound

The whole 'Martin O'Neill effect' thing was so overblown by so many people. This is an awful chasing. Celtic's record in Europe, particularly away from home, is an abomination and this is another grim chapter.

Former Scotland defender Robbie Neilson on the BBC's Scottish Football podcast

You'd expect Celtic to go there and put on a better performance, but they kind of got outclassed.

Former Rangers forward Rory Loy on the BBC's Scottish Football podcast

It was always going to be a tough game. Midtjylland have started the Europa League campaign extremely well, top of the tree. There was a little bit of optimism from Celtic fans to see if they could continue the momentum, but never transpired that way, which is unfortunate.

Celtic, I don't think they'll be too despondent. They've had two really good results domestically and they're not the first or the last team that will go to Midtjylland this year and be beaten.

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter in Denmark

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Celtic captain Callum McGregor admits "a lot has been thrown" at Celtic this season, but insists he'll relish the "challenge" of trying to turn things around.

The defending Scottish champions have endured a troublesome start to the campaign, including failing to qualify for the Champions League, falling off the title pace behind Hearts and also seeing Brendan Rodgers resign as manager.

While safe passage was secured to the League Cup final after defeating Rangers on Sunday, McGregor and his team endured a tough time in Denmark on Thursday as Midtjylland recorded a 3-1 Europa League win.

"It's been a difficult start," he said.

"There's been a lot of thrown at us. But we're still in all the competitions. That's something to be said.

"We're just getting into November, and that is the challenge you have to find a way to keep winning and win enough games, pick up enough points to be where you want to be.

"I actually see it as a challenge. The more they throw at you, can you be successful and come out the other end of it?"

McGregor has described the defeat by Midtjylland, which leaves Celtic 27th in the 36-team Europa League table, with only four points from four matches, as a "learning curve".

Under interim boss Martin O'Neill, there have been signs of improvement in the Glasgow club, but a sluggish opening period in Denmark left Celtic with a mountain to climb.

"The first half killed you," said the Parkhead captain of his team who went in 3-0 down at half-time.

"It was that six or seven-minute period where we lost the goals. It makes it really difficult in the second half.

"Nothing's been solved after what was a really good game at the weekend. We know that, we don't get too up or too down.

"We come away here against a really good side, a good club, they do a lot of good things and they know what they are. There's a lot of growth still left in our team as well. We know where we are and we know where we want to get to."

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Chris Sutton cautions his former Celtic manager Martin O'Neill not to "stay on too long and damage his legacy" after the latter returned to the club as interim boss. (Sun), external

mmidfielder Arne Engels picked up a muscle issue in Celtic's loss to Midtjylland. (Scotsman - subscription required), external

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Callum Osmand "pulled his hamstring" in Celtic's Europa League defeat to Midtjylland, confirmed interim manager Martin O'Neill.

The forward, 19, came off the bench to earn the penalty which Reo Hatate scored to make it 3-1, but minutes later he left the pitch on a stretcher.

"He's pulled a hamstring and that's something that, obviously, has never happened to him before, so he doesn't know" O'Neill said of the teenager who scored his first senior goal in Sunday's League Cup semi-final win over Rangers.

"He was distraught because, the reason being, he was just trying to get his career going, but if everything works out well, he'll recover from that, and then start again, and that's what I've said to him.

"You were starting to get going, this is just a setback for you, but it's not terminal in that sense, and you can fight back, you'll be out for X number of weeks now,.

"It's a shame because he was trying to make an impression. but that's it."

O'Neill confirmed Arne Engels "also felt his hamstring".

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Celtic interim manager Martin O'Neill: "It was a tough evening. There's no question about it. We were well in the game for half an hour.

"We conceded two goals within a minute or 90 seconds of each other. The game goes away from you very, very quickly. They score a third after seven minutes and it's a long way back.

"In terms of European football, they're a very fine side. There's no question about it. They're strong, physically very, very strong. It was something that I knew anyway because of seeing them a couple of weeks ago.

"Disappointing, but I thought that we showed a bit of character in the second half. We could have gone under, it could have been any sort of score, but the players, I thought, pulled themselves together, pulled it round a bit and showed some character and resilience, for want of better words.

"The goals that we conceded weren't good, but eventually that hadn't really much to do with physicality, or certainly two of the goals, in the sense that we'd been left 1v1.

"I suppose I probably always thought this here, that 10 points would probably get you, so you would have to... We're not out of it, but that's a big lesson for us tonight, to know what it takes to be a really decent European team, and Midtjylland have shown that, and they have good experience in the side, they've got really good players, and they have that thing that is necessary, a bit of physicality.

"I think just to play football at the top level, not only do you need ability, but you need mentality and mentality sometimes overrides ability as well.

"I've seen this game where players with lesser talent, but more drive and more determination come through and players who have the talent but don't have that mentality fall by the wayside. It's only a matter of time when those things happen.

"It sounds from here as if I'm like a teacher telling them, but I will try and teach them the game as quickly as possible. Things that they may already know maybe need reminding. Maybe they don't know, and that's part of my job to do that. Well, it's not part of it. It is my job to try and improve the football club. It was tough tonight."

Celtic's momentum under interim boss Martin O'Neill came to a shuddering halt as Europa League leaders Midtjylland taught them a lesson in eight dreadful first-half minutes on a dismal night in Denmark.

Read the match report here.

Have your say here.

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• Midtjylland scored three goals in the first half of a major European game for the first time

• Midtjylland remain unbeaten against Celtic in Europe (W2 D1). Celtic have failed to win any of their last eight games against Danish clubs (including qualifiers – D3 L5).

• Celtic faced 15 shots in the first half of this match, the most they've conceded in the opening 45 minutes of a European game since November 2012 (17 v Benfica in the Champions League).

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

It's amazing what a little bit of time and perspective can do.

Ten short days ago, Celtic's major shareholder Dermot Desmond unleashed his fury upon the club's former manager. Intriguingly, we're still waiting for Brendan Rodgers' side of the story.

With every passing day, however, the opinions expressed by the Irish billionaire seem less extreme. At the time, they seemed like absolute dynamite. Is the club imploding, a few wondered?

Doesn't seem like it now, does it? In fact, a great deal of what Desmond had to say appears to be holding water. His appointment of former manager Martin O'Neill to take the tiller already looks a masterstroke. It raised several hundred thousand eyebrows a week ago.

A wise old head to steer the new generation of Celtic coaches (Maloney, McManus and Fotheringham) in the right direction and re-energise the club? Of course, what a sound idea.

Played two, won two, scored seven. An early win over Rangers? Check.

A Hampden cup final against St Mirren ringed in red for 14 December? Check.

Should two further wins come against Midtjylland and Kilmarnock, don't be too surprised if the word 'interim' suddenly disappears from O'Neill's title.

What's even more fascinating, however, is the new light in which Desmond's acerbic comments can be viewed.

There was a feeling around the club in the final months of Rodgers' reign he wasn't getting anywhere near as good a tune out of the squad as he should have.

The recent dramatic upturn in energy, chances created and goals under O'Neil contrasts starkly with the dull, drab efforts in Dundee and Gorgie under his predecessor. Granted, a sample size of two matches is ludicrously small.

What about this passage in Desmond's open letter, however: "What has failed recently was not due to our structure or model but one individual's desire for self-preservation at the expense of others."

At whose expense, one might wonder? The members of the board getting it in the neck from fans? The recruitment department who, according to Rodgers when he was in post, didn't replace the speed and goals that had been taken out of the team? Or perhaps more pertinently, at the expense of players bombed out, like Callum Osmand?

Omitted from the European squad under Rodgers – like fellow new arrivals Hayato Inamura and Shin Yamada – but now playing, and scoring, like the promising 19-year-old Fulham prospect he was presumably signed as?

Colby Donovan and Dane Murray as the right side of defence? How about international players Anthony Ralson and Auston Trusty, restored to the side under O'Neill.

There were those who thought Desmond crossed a line with the content and tone of his highly public outburst.

To this correspondent's mind, the outrage has subsided. Considerably. Over to you, Brendan.

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter in Denmark

Midtjylland right-back Kevin Mbabu is looking forward to "a special" night against Celtic in the Europa League on Thursday and admits being a former Rangers player gives him added motivation to be on the winning side.

The 30-year-old failed to make an appearance for Rangers while on loan from Newcastle United in 2015.

"Of course it will be special because I'm a former Rangers player," Mbabu said.

"The fans from Rangers will expect me to beat the enemy, especially after what happened last weekend [Celtic's win in the League Cup semi-final].

"So, of course, it will be a little bit special because I also still have a couple of friends in Scotland. I also have a former [Newcastle] team-mate that plays there, James Tavernier, who's the captain over there.

"So I definitely have to represent a little bit, maybe 1% Rangers on Thursday and do the best I can to get the three points with my team-mates."

Mbabu, who joined Midtjylland from Fulham in August 2024, is also looking forward to coming up against his old Augsburg team-mate Arne Engels.

"Of course I will send him a message later, hoping that he will be ready for the game and hoping also that he will not be on my side [of the pitch], because I will kick him," he added.

"He's a great player with huge potential that I always praise since I've seen him in Augsburg.

"An excellent right foot, complete player and hopefully he doesn't perform as I want him to be usually, but he's really a player that we can see in a big team in the next few years."

With tongue firmly in cheek, interim boss Martin O'Neill gives his thoughts on Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel as his side prepare to face Midtjylland in the Europa League.

Caleb Akpo-Young
BBC Sport Scotland

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Former Celtic defender Erik Sviatchenko has warned Midtjylland are "scoring for fun" this season and highlighted Guinea-Bissau striker Franculino as the main danger.

Midtjylland top the Europa League standings with three wins from three and Sviatcheko - who has had two spells with the Danish club - says they will provide a formidable test for Martin O'Neill's side.

"Franculino is the main striker, he's banged in 13 goals in 13 league appearances this season," the 34-year-old centre-back told BBC Scotland.

"He's the one they're talking about that could be the £30m, £40m man that can go out the Danish Super League. It's never been done before, but they had some offers from Bayern Munich and they really hope that can be that guy.

"But all in general, new coach Mike Tullberg came in and has sparked a little bit more of intensity and fluidity in their attacking play.

"So its going to be very interesting to see the Celtic defence going up against these very, very hot strikers and offensive players."

Asked if he is fearful for of Celtic's chances, Sviatchenko, who now plays for MLS side Houston Dynamo, believes the Old Firm derby in last weekend's League Cup semi-final will give O'Neill's men confidence.

"I think I feared it more if they didn't have that Rangers game before this match," he said.

"I think it'll be a very close game. Two teams that want the ball, but Midtjylland is also direct sometimes.

"If Celtic wants to have success, maybe they'll try the same, go a bit more direct, get the chances created and maybe get an early goal and see what Midtjylland then needs to be doing."

Sviatchenko helped Midtjylland beat Celtic when the sides last met, with the Danes progressing 3-2 on aggregate in the second round of Champions League qualifying which marked Ange Postecoglou's first games in charge in summer 2021.

"It was a big experience for me personally, coming back to Celtic Park and getting a really good result," Sviatchenko said.

"It was just amazing to see all the Celtic fans seeing me play at their stadium, but in a different jersey being captain."

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter in Denmark

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Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel says resuscitating Celtic's fragile confidence has been a key method of interim boss Martin O'Neill.

Schmeichel, back in his homeland for the Europa League tie against Midtjylland on Thursday night, said: "A lot of things are a lot easier when you get the confidence of winning games. And one of the first things the boss said was to remind us that we are a very good team. I think that was one of the big issues with us.

"We were lacking a bit of confidence because we were creating chances. We just weren't really sticking them away. And even the other day [against Rangers], we probably shouldn't have gone to extra time.

"But yeah, that confidence always helps massively. And when you've got very good players like we do, then that's how you transform those near misses into wins.

"We were a group who had an incredibly good season last season. When you think about when we almost beat Bayern Munich away, it doesn't just happen overnight. It's a confidence thing.

"And getting people to believe in themselves again, I think that's one of the key things. But there's obviously other stuff, and that's something we'll keep to ourselves."

Schmeichel is relishing playing on Danish soil on Thursday although revealed it won't act as extra motivation for him.

"I've never played club football back here," the 39-year-old said. "So to come back to Denmark, and granted it's a while from Copenhagen where I'm from, but it's always good to be home.

"I wouldn't say I'm extra motivated or anything. But it's of course great."

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Martin O'Neill "has got the bug" after being rushed into becoming interim manager and his early success means Celtic have no need "to rush" into appointing a permanent boss, Celtic podcaster Paul John Dykes suggests.

Celtic have won their two games under their 73-year-old former manager and Dykes, from A Celtic State of Mind, says it has been "refreshing" in an age where he thinks some managers over-coach players and rely heavily on analysis.

"Martin has come in and most of the changes are basic changes - old-school changes," he told BBC Scotland's Scottish Football Podcast.

"I know it's only two games, but we were really stale. We were really predictable, it was the side-to-side passing, it was all the ball between the two centre-halves and the goalkeeper.

"And he's torn it up and done some simple things like. Let's push Callum McGregor further forward. Let's push Arne Engels into more of a number six."

Centre-half Auston Trusty and forward Callum Osmand have also made an impact, having been out in the cold under Brendan Rodgers.

"And it's working and it's intense again and entertaining to watch," Dykes said.

"We had got stuck in a rut and Martin O'Neill has somehow managed to navigate us out of it for the time being."

Dykes thinks Ipswich Town's Kieran McKenna could be an attractive long-term option given major shareholder Dermot Desmond "likes appointing Irish".

However, of O'Neill he added: "I think he's got the bug now. He stressed the fact that this is interim.

"He wins that game at the weekend and, all of a sudden, he is asking what the date is for the cup final and saying it would be a proud moment for him.

"It was a shock when Martin O'Neill came back into the fold. You thought to yourself - his legacy was 20-odd years ago.

"But he's got the tracksuit on and I think, for as long as these results continue, more and more fans are getting right into this.

"It seems to me we are in safe hands at the moment, so let's not rush any decisions."

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Celtic have drawn up a longlist of around eight potential managerial targets as former midfielder Efrain Juarez is put forward as a dark-horse contender for the job. (Scottish Sun), external

Celtic interim manager Martin O'Neill has accused Rangers of making excuses after Sunday's League Cup semi-final, but does concede Auston Trusty was fortunate not to be sent off. (Daily Express), external