A Unique Challenge for Hibs and Celtic
Defending champions are set to travel to Easter Road on Sunday, aiming to close the gap with Hearts at the top of the table. This match is not just another fixture; it carries a unique weight, as some Hibs fans would prefer their team to lose this weekend, hoping to see Hearts’ title aspirations falter.
Martin O’Neill, the manager of Celtic, has firmly dismissed any notion that Hibs players might intentionally underperform in the game. He believes it’s an “impossibility” that his opponents would give anything less than their full effort.
The recent Edinburgh derby saw Celtic secure a victory, which has significantly reduced the odds of Hearts winning the Scottish championship for the first time since 1960. The possibility of their rivals achieving this historic feat has led to some unexpected sentiments among Hibs supporters, who now hope for a loss against Celtic.
O’Neill acknowledges the emotions of rival fans but is confident that Hibs will be fully committed to the match. He emphasizes that David Gray’s players are focused on moving up the league table and securing a position in fourth place.
“I imagine the Hibs fans wouldn’t want Hearts to win the league. I think that would be kind of natural,” O’Neill said. “But asking people to throw the game, that’s just an impossibility. I know the young manager at Hibs, he’d be wanting to beat us again. He absolutely beat us before, so he’d be thinking there’s no reason not to. Seriously, it wouldn’t enter the players’ heads.”
O’Neill is also certain that his own players will maintain the same level of commitment, regardless of the potential implications of their results. Even if a win for Celtic might not be what all fans desire, he insists that the team will still aim to defeat Hearts.
“Let’s say we were out of it by the final game and Rangers are really in it, we’d still want to beat Hearts,” he added.
Despite the unusual context surrounding the match, O’Neill is confident that his players are prepared for a tough challenge. He dismisses the idea that the game could be easier than expected.
“It’s not in the players’ heads. They honestly wouldn’t even mention that and they wouldn’t know. They genuinely wouldn’t know. We have to be at it. Really, really at it. We’re not good enough to treat any game like that.”
Improved Form and Key Returns
After a challenging season, O’Neill is approaching the match with a team that is in better form, having secured four consecutive wins. The manager admitted that last week’s victory over Falkirk felt like a significant moment for the squad.
Arne Engels made his first 90-minute appearance since February, while Alistair Johnston returned to the starting line-up after a six-month absence. O’Neill expressed his satisfaction with the players’ performances.
“It was really great to see him on the pitch,” O’Neill said of the Canadian full-back. “We’ve got about 20 minutes from him and it’s good. And he’s had this week as well. So, he’s in contention, which is great. It would be just brilliant to have him back.”
“I’ve been watching some of the matches that he’s played at times and he’s not unfamiliar to me in that sense. But to watch a player when you’re actually there on the sideline, it’s a totally different issue. He’s a proper player.”
