Messiah O'Neill to salvage Celtic's season

STUBBS KNOWS THE MAGIC MARTIN BRINGS

- BY MICHAEL GANNON

MARTIN O'NEILL first walked into Celtic Park in 2000 to take charge of a team that had finished a whopping 21 points behind in the title race a few months earlier.

‘The man Hoops fans call the Messiah romped to the Treble with room to spare 12 months later and Alan Stubbs (inset, top) is convinced his old gaffer won't flinch at the challenge at reeling in Hearts and Rangers this time around.

Celtic chief Dermot Desmond sent out the O'Neill SOS again this week after calling time on Wilfried Nancy's disastrous 32 days in charge.

And right away the entire title dynamic has shifted.

Stubbs, speaking exclusively on behalf of Netbet online casino, said: “Were Celtic in a title race four days ago? The answer has got to be no - because it looked like it had gone too far.

“The board realised that they've made a mistake and, to be fair you've got to give them credit, they've acted on it.

“They brought Martin back and potentially have just resurrected the season.

“Martin will deflect the pressure away from the board. It will still be there but the main focus now is on Martin and with the fans, there's a sense of calmness now.

“They'll think, ‘Oh, we've got Martin back - the Messiah.’

“There's a relief, a sense of normality back to it.

“I remember first time around. We had the title win but the year before had lost the league by 20-odd points.