Date: 12th November 2026
Never heard him but I agree with all of it
By Donald C Stewart
A sketchy and humorous look at the outpourings of the great, the good and the not so good of Scottish fitba’ by Donald C Stewart. Readers are warned that if they take this seriously then therapy is available – just let us know where you find it so we can pass it on to others…
If there ever is a vacancy in the diplomatic service, one of the persons who should be top of anybody’s list is the Sainted Martin of O’ Neill. In one interview, he was tackled by a BBC reporter regarding comments made by Callum McGregor. His erstwhile captain had suggested that their previous game had a bit of basketball about it, and that a couple of players were playing out of position as wingers when they should have been there as centre-forwards.
What was astonishing, in one sense, was that the Sainted Martin of O’ Neill had not heard any of the comments made by Callum McGregor. When the context was put to him and the comments were conveyed, he opined that he agreed absolutely with his captain, despite never having heard his captain utter any of those words.
It was a set-up that was instantly deflated by the wily old fox.
The Sainted Martin of O’ Neill has not just a reputation, but also a track record in managing to bring people together rather than to divide them through the middle. This continued in his press conference when people were keen to see if the comments made by his player, his captain, were something that had traction across the whole of the club.
Given that the club are currently in a form of turmoil with their supporters, it was hardly a question that came out of the blue.
Now, the Sainted Martin of O’ Neill, with his customary calm demeanour, managed to put it all in its place by suggesting that the club at the moment, in terms of at least on the pitch, were doing fine, chiding people for trying to sow division. He talked of how most weeks he came into this press conference rather buoyed by the results of his team and how they were doing and told reporters not to try and make mischief.
It’s an interesting idea that unity within a camp comes not from understanding exactly what somebody has said, but trust. Trust is often earned and as we look across the Scottish football top flight we wonder just exactly a quarter of a season or so in whether or not trust is still in place.
Trust is gone up in Aberdeen for Stephen Robinson. Unable to keep the trust of the Aberdeen faithful he is gone.
Their opponent in the cup semi-final, The Rangers certainly kept trust in Derek McInnes after a fairly rough start to the league campaign. However, how long is that going to last is about silverware for the Ibrox club so the final against Hibs will be critical.
Hearts who lost in the semi-final to Hibs have an expansive approach which people like, but it is not yet managing to bring the results that the Gorgie Club were used to last year.
Meanwhile, Hibernian having got rid of their legendary David Gray early on and brought in Manink Riddick’s men to try and stabilise the club and climb the table, they’ve not quite managed to do that but they are in a cup final… Stephen Robinson will be able to advise how long that glow lasts if they win it.
Trust between players and their managers is critical to success, so the Sainted Martin of O’ Neill has it sorted, don’t he…
In the club we trust is not just a mantra, it’s a feeling, it’s an emotive response and if you don’t trust where the club is heading, people instantly begin to fall out of love and the naysayers on the terraces get traction and begin to be the majority.
Let’s hope that for Celtic football club, instead of having pronouncements from the board that they get the Sainted Martin of O’ Neill in amongst the jungle and start to make progress and bringing two opposing sides together.
IMAGE Homes of Football
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