Martin O’Neill has admitted it is not an easy call between chasing Europe and focusing fully on the league as Celtic move into a busy spell.
Celtic are three points behind Hearts in the Premiership and still have a game in hand. That keeps them right in it, but it also means there is no room to drift. Rangers are hovering too, so every league fixture feels tight.
At the same time, Stuttgart are next up in the Europa League. Results in Europe have lifted the mood after a shaky start, but those nights take their toll. The squad is already carrying knocks and playing a lot of minutes.
O’Neill has been honest about the situation. He does not want the effort put into Europe to count for nothing, but he also knows how tough it is to go deep in that competition.
He said: (TCW), “Right, well obviously it’s against my nature, but I think that, what I didn’t want after beating Feyenoord – I thought that was the end for me anyway, in terms of games, of European matches…
“But when we came back and then getting a result in Bologna, I just didn’t want it to go to waste for the effort that the team had put in.
“So, we followed up, we beat Utrecht, then it gets you in. But that’s, the competition is like, if I want to be really honest about it, there’s some big, big teams with, still in that competition.
“And it’s a long way from home as well. Home meaning, a long way to go. Even if you went through against Stuttgart, who are in the Bundesliga, you’re still talking about into the last 16.
“That seems like miles away! So this is like the last 24. If it was a bit closer, you know, then you can think about it.
“It’s just, we’ll see what the energy’s like. But having said this, I wouldn’t want to give it up – I just wouldn’t want to, you know.
“You’d like to, but the coefficient eventually might help Scotland at some stage, you know. Long after I’m gone!”
His comments make it clear Celtic will not throw Europe away. He might freshen the team when needed, but he will not give up on it. At the same time, the league is tight, and any slip could swing things back towards Hearts.
Celtic have needed late goals more than once in recent weeks. That sort of effort drains you. If the Hoops want to stay alive in both competitions, players coming off the bench have to keep making an impact.
Right now, O’Neill is not choosing one over the other. The table shows there is still work to do in the league. Europe is another chance to test themselves. Celtic will take it match by match and see where it leads.
