O'NEILL REGRET OVER PAL ROBBO

Celtic legend Martin still sad after John’s passing and that he never got to say goodbye

- BY RYAN McDONALD

HAND O'Neill with his No.2 Shaun Maloney

IN THIS part of the world, football can feel like a matter of life and death.

Ask most Celtic fans and Wilfried Nancy’s disastrous 33-day reign in charge would've given them sleepless nights.

They can rest easy now that one of the greatest figures in the clubs history is back again to try and salvage the season.

But for all the charming wit and razor-sharp quips that still roll off the tongue, Martin O'Neill walked into Lennoxtown on Tuesday carrying a reminder that some things are much bigger than a match.

O'Neill's second return as interim boss has been tinged with heartache following the passing of close pal and long-time lieutenant John Robertson on Christmas Day after a long battle with illness.

Hoops fans might look back on this season with regret if their dreams of five-in-a-row are dashed. But for legendary gaffer O'Neill, the lingering sadness will be missing the chance to say farewell to one of his oldest pals.

He said: “Do you know what? The disappointment with myself is that I didn't see John in recent times. Obviously, he would have known that I was up here.

“But the week that I wanted to go up and see him, my granddaughter was not well, she was in and out of hospital for two or three days, and I thought, listen, I'll get there. I'll get to see John.

“And I didn't get to see him. And then I got the call on Christmas Day that he had died and I'm really disappointed with myself, you know, that I didn’t see him in the latter stages.

“There might have been part of me thinking that maybe I didn't want to see somebody as frail as he was and maybe that's your last thought of him, rather than the person I've known all these years.