O’Neill seeks renewed enthusiasm as Celtic seek Europa League relief

Martin O’Neill used pre-match media duties ahead of Celtic’s Europa League visit to Utrecht on Thursday to urge 'renewed enthusiasm' and to say the club will try to qualify for the knockout stages. O’Neill pointed to recent results — 'We got a result in Feyenoord and fought our guts out in Bologna' — and said: 'We don’t now want to just throw it away.

We want to try and go for it if we can.' He added that 'we could still lose the game' but that a win on Sunday against Falkirk and 'maybe by Monday we get some players in' could give the team relief. The article says it would be a shock and a significant blow to Celtic’s credibility if they do not progress.

Utrecht have taken one point from seven Europa League games and sit 11th in the Eredivisie. The piece describes Celtic’s campaign as 'messy' and notes the club has spent more on a failed appeal of Auston Trusty’s red card at Tynecastle — £650 — than on permanent January signings; Julián Araujo and Tomas Cvancara have arrived on loan.

Supporters are said to range from anxiety to anger as Hearts and Rangers mount a credible title challenge, with Hearts having outplayed Celtic for most of a 2-2 draw. O’Neill is described as taking a rational approach given he is in a second interim spell, having 'come in on 5 January', and after the departures of Brendan Rodgers and Wilfried Nancy either side of his stints.

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