Martin O'Neill and the power of charisma
Celtic reinvigorated by a one-man adrenalin shot
When Fabio Capello announced his first England squad in February 2008, five of Martin O’Neill’s Aston Villa players were included. He gathered the five, Gabby Agbonlahor, Gareth Barry, Scott Carson (on loan from Liverpool), Ashley Young and Curtis Davies (on loan from West Brom) before training at Bodymoor Heath. “Just look at some of the names in the 30,” O’Neill told them excitedly. “Wayne Rooney! You’re on the same list as him!”
Agbonlahor was uncapped and O’Neill knew how much the honour of a first call-up meant to him. When the striker felt his hamstring tighten against Fulham 48 hours later, ruling him out of England, O’Neill said he hoped Agbonlahor would report because a first experience of mixing with Rooney and the England elite “would be nice for him”. Agbonlahor didn’t go in the end, returning to Bodymoor Heath for treatment, and some supportive words from O’Neill, a master man-manager.
Around that time, O’Neill made Young believe in himself even more by comparing his free-kick technique with Cristiano Ronaldo’s before Villa Park prepared to host Manchester United. The pair’s styles are different, Young relied on swerve more but he appreciated the comparison with Ronaldo. More inspiration.
Of O’Neill’s many strengths, man-management is one of his greatest. But not always. He can fall out with players. He left his last job, Nottingham Forest, because some of the players struggled with his management style. But then again, some had clashed with his predecessor, Aitor Karanka. Some at the club felt there was an excuse culture in the dressing-room. So O’Neill’s departure from the City Ground can be spun both ways.
Maybe at this stage of his life, now 73, he works best as an interim, shaking the team up, rebuilding belief. It has hardly been the biggest of surprises to see him reinvigorate Celtic in this short-term gig. He’s won five in six since being appointed interim, guided Celtic to the Scottish League Cup final and halved the gap to Scottish Premiership leaders Heart of Midlothian to just four points (with a game in hand). Last night, O’Neill led Celtic to a 3-1 win at Feyenoord in the Europa League.
He’s done all of this having been out of football for six years since being dismissed by Forest. “My wife said I’d probably mess it up,” O’Neill told reporters at De Kuip. “I haven’t messed it up so far.” O’Neill’s self-deprecating side is very appealing, and he constantly plays up this accidental footballer and manager.
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I’ve been interviewing O’Neill for years, hosted events for him, covered his teams since Wycombe Wanderers in the early 90s, and quickly appreciated that his words tell one story but his sharp, scrutinising gaze and even sharper mind are of the barrister he could have become after studying law at Queen’s University, Belfast.
He went to Forest instead, and continued his studies in football under the inspirational Brian Clough. “Hey, son, you’ve got to learn this game and learn it fast,” Clough told the 22-year-old. Both strong characters, the pair had frequent battles of will. Looking back, O’Neill realised that Clough challenging him was a form of respect.
O’Neill’s own man-management could also involve challenging players. He dropped Nigel Reo-Coker for two games at Villa to make a point. Reo-Coker responded well. He challenged Agbonlahor to direct his phenomenal pace better. O’Neill had a simple instruction at the end of his team-talks at Villa, and probably still heard in Celtic’s dressing-room. “Go out, do your job, and work for your team-mates.”
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He tolerated eccentricity. Steve Claridge used to turn up seconds before Leicester City training at Belvoir Drive, park next to the pitch, and lope on, changed and ready, occasionally with his betting-shop money under his bobble-hat. O’Neill got the best out of players by understanding human traits and foibles. In return, they wanted to please him.
I’d do anything for O’Neill and I’m not even a player. He’s the best company. A phone-call with O’Neill is rarely short. “No, no, no, no, yes, you’re right, but no, no, no, yes and another thing….” will spice the conversation. He keeps you on your toes. On stage with O’Neill during a fund-raiser at the King Power three years ago, I was thinking of the phrasing of my next question. Stupidly, I didn’t listen to O’Neill’s reply to my previous question, he sensed it, and immediately questioned me on what he’d said. I know him, turned the whole thing into a joke, but it was relentless. He kept coming back to it.
He’s tough. He’s not afraid of a feud, as Keith Andrews will attest. He doesn’t forget criticism. He’s neither forgotten nor forgiven the referee Remi Harrel’s harsh officiating towards Leicester during a Uefa Cup tie with Atletico Madrid at Filbert Street in 1997. The Frenchman turned down three penalty appeals and dismissed Garry Parker. If you want to prod O’Neill, roll out the Harrel memory.