Martin O’Neill has hit back firmly at Derek McInnes after the Hearts boss took a thinly veiled swipe at Celtic coach Mark Fotheringham following last weekend’s fractious 2-2 draw at Tynecastle.
The flashpoint came after one of Celtic’s goals, when McInnes took exception to celebrations in the away technical area. After the game McInnes said he didn’t have an issue with Martin or assistant Shaun Maloney, the Hearts manager chose to reference what he described as an “inexperienced” Celtic coach. He did not name Mark Fotheringham, but the implication was clear.
Speaking ahead of Thursday night’s Europa League showdown against Utrecht, O’Neill was in no mood to let the comment slide.
“He was obviously being rather cynical, Derek,” O’Neill told Celtic TV.
“But Derek will say exactly the same as I am now, that Hearts got a good decision.”
O’Neill’s reference was to the controversial VAR intervention that saw Auston Trusty sent off, a decision Celtic felt was harsh and one that tilted the balance of the game at a crucial moment.
The Celtic boss then turned directly to the remark aimed at his backroom staff.
“I think we were more concerned about pointing to one of our inexperienced coaches, which happened to be young Fotheringham,” he continued.
“Mark is not inexperienced.
“Mark’s record as a manager and assistant manager, in Germany, is extraordinary.
“He and Felix Magath. They saved a club from relegation.”
It was a pointed and deliberate defence of a coach O’Neill clearly values, and one that reframed McInnes’ comment as misinformed at best.
Celtic remain six points behind Heart of Midlothian in the Premiership table, and two adrift of Rangers. Margin for error is disappearing fast, and every dropped point is magnified.
For Celtic, the priority is turning tension into momentum. Performances have flickered without fully catching fire, and O’Neill knows the urgency. If the title is to be reeled back in, it needs to happen quickly and decisively.
As for McInnes, there is a sense that the Hearts manager is already feeling the squeeze. The pressure of being chased is different from the pressure of chasing, and public frustration tends to surface earlier when the stakes are rising.
O’Neill has made one thing clear; Celtic will not allow their staff to be diminished quietly, and they will not forget decisions or comments that they feel shaped the narrative of a critical afternoon.
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