Martin O’Neill has revealed Police Scotland delivered a “general behaviour” warning to Celtic ahead of Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup quarter-final against Rangers at Ibrox – a derby stripped of away fans and loaded with tension before a ball is kicked.
No Celtic support will be inside the 50,000-capacity stadium after the authorities stepped in amid the long-running ticket allocation row between the Glasgow rivals. The backdrop is still the ugly fallout from the last Old Firm clash in Govan in March, when fan disorder overshadowed Celtic’s Scottish Gas Scottish Cup quarter-final win on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes.
That night has had consequences. Both clubs must play their next home Scottish Cup ties behind closed doors and have been hit with a £100,000 compensation bill, to be paid to whichever side is drawn away in those fixtures.
In that context, the police visit to Lennoxtown was no routine drop-in.
“We had the police come in today, just a little 15-minute meeting with us, just reminders of our behaviour, which I think is actually a timely reminder,” O’Neill said. “It’s a good thing as well.”
No lecture, but no ambiguity either. The message was clear: keep a lid on it.
“I think it’s the overall picture,” the 74-year-old added. “Gosh, it’d be nice to have something to celebrate. I think it’s just general behaviour from us.
“They didn’t mention this but I would have assumed that one of the things that they considered is what happens on the field of play, because these things can be taken further.
“You don’t want any sort of punch-ups for a start; secondly, you don’t want too excessive celebrations, stuff like that, if that was the case.
“I mean, I’d be delighted to be celebrating something in the game. But it’s the behaviour in the light of what has happened in recent fixtures.”
An Old Firm derby with only one half of the city inside the ground will feel strange, even to a manager who has seen almost everything.
“It’ll be a bit strange not having the (Celtic) fans in,” O’Neill admitted, “but I’m nervously and excitedly looking forward to it, it’s a great fixture.”
The noise will be one-sided. The stakes won’t be.
Keeper Call Still to Come
On the pitch, O’Neill still has a major decision to make in goal.
Sam Johnstone, the experienced England international on loan from EFL Championship side Wolves, made his Celtic debut in Wednesday’s 1-0 William Hill Premiership win over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park. He replaced Viljami Sinisalo, who started the season as number one and has impressed.
Was that a permanent change or just a look at a new option before Ibrox? O’Neill is keeping that answer to himself.
“I haven’t made my mind up at all,” he said. “It was a matter of getting a look at what Sam can do.
“It’s great to have the two of them. Big Viljami has done exceptionally well for us and it was just, again, an opportunity to see what Sam can do now.
“What he could do a couple of years ago was fantastic, what he can do now might be a totally different picture. I will let them know first.”
Mika Baur, who missed training on Friday with a knock, is expected to train on Saturday, giving O’Neill another option in midfield as he finalises his plans.
The warnings have been issued, the stands will be stripped of green and white, and the margins will be thin. In a derby already defined by what happens off the pitch, Celtic’s fate on Sunday may rest on who O’Neill trusts with the gloves when the noise erupts at Ibrox.
