Home GeneralO'Neill on 'ready' Cvancara, 'very big' Tynecastle game & Iheanacho return

O'Neill on 'ready' Cvancara, 'very big' Tynecastle game & Iheanacho return

by Ralph
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Martin O'Neill has been speaking to the media before Celtic's trip to face Premiership leaders Hearts this weekend.

Here are the key lines from the interim Celtic boss:

  • O'Neill says it's a "great feeling" Celtic delivered a "terrific performance" for a Europa League point in Bologna but feels "if we had stayed with 11 men we might have taken all three".
  • He insists Celtic will "try and win the game on Thursday" against Utrecht but knows "there's a big match on Sunday first".
  • New striker Tomas Cvancara is "ready to go" after training with the B team on Thursday and linking up with the senior squad on Friday and "could start" at Tynecastle.
  • But O'Neill stresses "he's not going to be the panacea for all our ills and woes" and "wouldn't want to put extreme pressure on him to solve all our problems", but thinks the striker can "make an impact" in Glasgow.
  • O'Neill doesn't expect further new arrivals before Sunday but is "very hopeful we'll get some people in" before the window shuts.
  • While Kelechi Iheanacho has been back training, O'Neill feels "it might be a bit of a stretch to start him in a game at the moment, but at least he's going to be available".
  • The interim boss knows the game against Hearts is "going to be very big" and it will be a "long way back" from a nine-point deficit if Celtic lose, adding that even being six behind is "a bit of a trek at the minute".
  • O'Neill stresses it's "not in their nature" for the players to look to take a point at Tynecastle, adding: "We'll try and win and if we can't win we'll try and save it."
  • O'Neill praises Derek McInnes' "really brilliant" job at Hearts and insists they haven't "taken advantage of Celtic and Rangers slip-ups, they've driven on themselves".
  • When asked who he thinks are title favourites, O'Neill says: "Let me put it this way, I wish we were going into this game six points in front."
  • He is excited to return to a "fiery" Tynecastle and admits "outside of Ibrox it was the most intimidating place to go".
  • O'Neill says the players are "in good spirits" and will "be up for the game" but acknowledges substitutions may have to "play their part" on Sunday.
  • Johnny Kenny has picked up a calf strain so might be a doubt, but O'Neill says "other than that we're ready to go".

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