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The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Critics Martin O'Neill & Roy Keane will be keen observers of Keith Andrews at Brentford – but negativity won't bug him
IF THERE is one thing we have learned from Keith Andrews' appointment as Brentford's head coach, it is that Martin O'Neill still likes to nurse a grudge. But if the Dubliner contemplates the journey he has undertaken to get to where he is now, then 3 Andrews has become the first permanent Irish manager in the Premier League since Chris Hughton Credit: PA 3 It's safe to say Roy Keane and Martin O'Neill aren't his biggest fans Credit: AFP It was three decades ago this summer when Séamus Crowe, Alan Dixon and Stephen Hackett signed for Wolves. They were three of five Irish youngsters who had left these shores in search of footballing fame and fortune. With the playing careers the duo had, that quintet has already defied the odds. In a broader sample, nowhere near 40 per cent of an academy intake at what was then a second-tier club would go on to play top-flight football and at a major international tournament. Read More On Irish Football With two of them now in high-profile management jobs, they have reaffirmed their status as outliers. But, given this is Andrews' first role as head coach, there is no shortage of people queuing up to question its wisdom. If they are mainly the opinions of a disinterested observer, in O'Neill's case, his assessment of Andrews appeared to revolve around criticism when roles were reversed as manager and pundit. O'Neill said: 'He has been their set-piece coach. The irony is when I was manager of Ireland he was a particularly vitriolic critic of mine. Most read in Football 'He was really dead against me trying to use set-pieces to try to win games.' There is, of course, no irony in someone criticising a team's over-reliance on set-pieces and the apparent absence of a game-plan in open play, and achieving tangible results to make a team more efficient at both defensive and offensive dead-ball situations. Al-Hilal stuns Man City with a 4-3 victory at the 2025 Club World Cup Andrews joined Brentford a year ago. According to excluding penalties, the team had conceded nine goals from set-pieces in 2023-24. Andrews helped get that down to two, three fewer than the next best, Manchester City. His impact at the other end was also impressive, with their goal haul increasing from ten to 13. For all the talk about top-level matches being decided on fine margins, they are significant gains. There is, of course, a world of difference between organising a team to be effective at corners and free-kicks and overseeing the whole operation as he now will. O'Neill made a valid observation when he said: 'He is stepping into an unknown. It's all well when you can be the friend of players. 'You can have the set-pieces and you can be the coach sitting in the room. It's a different ball game when you're making big decisions.' PATIENCE PAID OFF But it was accompanied by the customary reference to O'Neill's own playing career. He said: 'It's not as easy to be sitting in a chair criticising someone who in all honesty had a much better career than he had. 'He was dealing at the bottom end of it when I was winning the European Cup.' Are people really still at that? Surely there are enough examples of successful coaches who did not have illustrious playing careers to make that jibe redundant. It is true that Andrews' career was a slow-burner. But, ultimately, it was a story of perseverance being rewarded which is the exact sort of quality any coach would want in their team. Andrews did not make his Wolves debut until 2½ years after his compatriot Keane. And Keane had already left by then in the first of his six multi-million pound moves. There were 4½ years between his first and second Premier League appearances. 3 Andrews overlapped with Robbie Keane at Wolves His first Ireland cap also came more than a decade after Keane's but both were starters at Euro 2012. Ahead of that tournament, he reflected: 'I thought about jacking it in on more than one occasion. 'I fell out of love with the game. I wasn't interested. I was injured a lot in my early 20s and my lifestyle wasn't as good as it should have been. 'You get depressed, you're not around friends and family as much and you get a bit lonely. 'It was a vicious circle. You'd get injured and then, out of boredom, go for a drink, which would make your injury last longer. "You'd get back from injury, you mightn't get chosen to play and I wouldn't react in such a good way. 'In the last couple of years I didn't play much. Thankfully I moved on. I had to drop down a level and it worked out well.' MODERN APPROACH In being His experience is limited to stints assisting As an analyst, he did not pull any punches and those who have worked with or studied alongside him paint a picture of a diligent person keen to educate himself and become a better coach. And that, in fact, may be the nub of the problem with both O'Neill and his former assistant and fellow Brian Clough acolyte And that is because it seems they have felt, for a long time, they have nothing left to learn. They cannot — or do not — accept that football has changed from when Old Big 'Ead could unearth rough diamonds for a bargain, allow good players to figure things out for themselves and it would add up to a winning formula. KEANE'S GRIPE Keane In fairness, Andrews had doled out plenty of criticism in the dying embers of O'Neill's time with Ireland. Among other things, he said: 'The first three quarters of this reign has to be seen as a successful period. 'The areas where it falls down . . . ten years ago that type of management may well have worked and we have a lot of players who've retired in the last year to two who would have been used to that. "But players now need different requirements. So if Martin is that kind of man-management and quirky manager we're used to seeing on TV and interviews, that's fine. 'But then your backroom staff have to complement that and if that's not the case it's going to fall down — especially when players are getting the level of detail they are now at club level. It doesn't happen with this Ireland team.' That was, clearly, a none-too-subtle dig at Keane who was never going to take it lying down. And Andrews' point might have carried more weight had, in his time working alongside Kenny, Ireland been able to obtain better results than they did. Now, he gets a fresh chance to prove himself as the main man. And — while O'Neill might not be able to let go of the past — most in Irish football will be interested to see what the first permanent Irish boss in the Premier League since
Daily Record
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Martin O'Neill sends 'paranoid' Rangers a message and then issues brutal takedown
The Parkhead managerial legend has had his say on the war of words between the Ibrox side and Hampden chiefs Martin O'Neill insists Rangers must accept responsibility for John Brown 's 'corrupt' officials comments - and says he can relate to it because Celtic share their paranoia. The Ibrox side went to war with the Scottish Football Association after they were hit with a £3000 fine for Brown's outburst during club TV commentary. It came after Rangers were denied a goal against Hibs at Easter Road on the final day of the Scottish Premiership season when Nico Raskin's effort appeared to have crossed the goalline. Ex Celtic boss O'Neill, speaking on talkSPORT, aimed a dig at his old rivals by highlighting the fact it wouldn't have made much difference given the huge 17-point gap to Celtic at the end of the season. He said: 'Let's put it in its context. The goal that might have stood against Hibs meant that Rangers were only going to lose the league by 17 points or 19 points, or whatever the case may be. It's a bit of fun.' And lunchtime studio sidekick Jim White said: 'You are loving this.' But on a more serious note the Irishman said: 'The club can't divorce itself from saying, 'it was his comments and it has nothing to do with the club'. It is a club channel, and therefore, he shouldn't be saying it. 'He doubled down on it when he had the chance to apologise. Listen, I have seen it on the other side. I have seen it with us, with us being Celtic. We are every bit as paranoid as Rangers are.' You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers and Celtic pages, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We're also WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to you phone. Join our Rangers community here and our Celtic community here.
STV News
09-06-2025
- Sport
- STV News
O'Neill: Celtic will have appetite for Europe after Champions League run
Martin O'Neill believes Celtic will have a growing appetite to kick on again in Europe next season after a 'terrific' run in the Champions League. The Hoops reached the knockout stages of the top competition for the first time in over a decade, following wins over Slovan Bratislava, RB Leipzig, and Young Boys, and draws with Club Brugge, Atalanta, and Dinamo Zagreb in the League Phase. They were knocked out in the last-16 play-off after an agonising injury-time winner for Bayern Munich in Germany sealed a 3-2 aggregate defeat. And O'Neill, who was in charge for some memorable European nights, including wins over Juventus, Liverpool, and Ajax, during his five-year spell in the east end of Glasgow, believes that that run will stand Brendan Rodgers' side in good stead for the season ahead. He said: 'We all thought that the new format would suit teams like Celtic, which is great, but just now, as you're getting your feet together in European football, I think they were terrific. 'Recovering from the debacle against Dortmund, to go to Atalanta and get a result there, then beating Leipzig. And then to crown it all, a brilliant performance in Munich against Bayern Munich of all teams. 'So that all augurs really well for next season. 'I'm quite sure (that they now have the base to take another step forward next season), there's no question about it, and I don't think there will be any resting on laurels or anything like that. 'I think that the run in the Champions League will actually have given them an appetite to go even further if that's at all possible. 'I think it's reawakened European football, big time over at Celtic Park.' O'Neill, who won seven major honours, including a domestic treble, and reached a UEFA Cup Final when he was in the Celtic dugout between 2000-2005, believes his former club will be looking to improve again in the summer despite another successful season that ended with a Premiership and League Cup double. And he insists that movements over at Ibrox might be a driving force in Celtic's pre-season recruitment, but argues that a strong Rangers can be beneficial to the Parkhead men. He continued: 'Some players might leave the football club, and you will always have to supplement the squad regardless. 'But it's like everything else. I'm looking at it from a managerial viewpoint, and every single season I was always saying to the board that we had to try and invest in the squad, because you want to try and stay as strong as possible. 'You don't know what might happen over the other side of the city. They've got a new manager coming in now, and for Celtic to stay strong, I think they really do need Rangers to be as strong as possible as well. 'I mean, going back to my time, I was up against Alex (McLeish) for a few years, and before that it was Dick Advocaat, but Rangers were incredibly strong at that time, really strong, so we had to be strong ourselves.' Celtic were denied a world record ninth domestic treble when they fell at the last hurdle in a penalty shootout defeat to Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final. But O'Neill doesn't think that result diminishes what was an overall successful season for his former club. He said: 'Of course, it's disappointing because the treble was within their grasp. 'And I suppose, having beaten Aberdeen maybe ten days before the final, some people maybe felt that just turning up would have been enough to win the cup. but I'm quite sure that that was not the attitude. 'However, it's been a great season with another championship won, and then, if you talk about the run in the Champions League, it was really excellent.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Record
01-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Celtic Treble winner writes off Rangers challenge despite 49ers takeover and insists questions remain unanswered
The Ibrox club are expected to be stronger next season but one ex-Parkhead star isn't running scared Former Celtic star Bobby Petta insists his old club should have no fears over a renewed challenge from rivals Rangers next season despite their takeover. The Dutchman - who spent five years with the Hoops and won a domestic Treble under Martin O'Neill in 2001 - said it 'doesn't matter' what happens at Ibrox because Brendan Rodgers will lead Celtic to five in a row. Rangers were taken over by NFL giants San Francisco 49ers' investment wing with the promise of an initial £20million cash injection to help improve the Light Blues squad. But Petta, speaking to the Sunday Post, isn't concerned and said: 'For me, it doesn't matter what happens at Rangers. Sure, keep an eye on it and be vigilant, but they shouldn't be able to get too close to Celtic in the next year. 'I think Celtic will win the league and that will be five-in-a-row. It's getting higher and higher all the time. 'It's up to Rangers to be stronger and more consistent to make a proper challenge over 38 games. 'Let's see if they are capable of doing it under the new owners and the new manager. "There are still lots of questions unanswered at Rangers. 'If I was at Celtic right now I'd be thinking to myself: 'Bring it on and let's see what you've got'. I would not be scared in any manner of Rangers.' You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers and Celtic pages, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. here and our Celtic community here.
The Herald Scotland
01-06-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Celtic outcast Marco Tilio admits future 'up in the air'
The 23-year-old was sent on loan to Melbourne City after suffering two severe hamstring injuries at Celtic. And he's due to return to Parkhead for the new season, where he still has three years left on his deal, following his £1.5 million move two years ago. But despite being delighted at his homeland triumph, Tilio doesn't know his next move. Read more: Forgotten Celtic star could feature at Club World Cup after dramatic play-off A day that changed Celtic: Martin O'Neill on emotion, legacy & success 25 years later He said: "I feel in a really good place. "My future is obviously up in the air at the moment, so I'm unsure what is going to happen. "It's always been about just playing well. I know when I'm playing well that people are always watching. 'I want to do everything I can to help Australia qualify for another World Cup. "I took everything in from last camp and put myself in the position now where I feel I'm better for it. I just want to execute everything that I know that I can, and put myself in the position to hopefully be in the squad and play. "It's been 18 months since I've actually stepped on the pitch for the national team. "So I think it's at that time now that I put myself in a position to play well, get an opportunity to do well, and hopefully, sort of cement a spot in there.'
