Celtic's Martin O'Neill on Strange Old Firm Atmosphere Without Away Fans
Celtic boss Martin O'Neill says the Old Firm will feel “strange” without away fans as his side head into a hostile, one-sided Ibrox for Sunday’s Scottish League Cup quarter-final against Rangers.
For the first time in generations, there will be no travelling support inside either ground for these fixtures this season. After talks between both clubs and the SPFL, away fans have been barred from Old Firm matches, a move that follows a Scottish FA independent review into post-match crowd disorder during last season’s Scottish Cup tie.
So Ibrox will be blue only. Celtic Park will be green only next weekend when Rangers make the return trip for the first league meeting of the campaign. No pockets of defiant colour in the corner. No roar when the away side scores.
O’Neill doesn’t like it.
“I think that it will be strange in many aspects not to have any away fans in our area. I always felt that they gave us a crumb of comfort,” he said, fully aware of what his players are walking into on Sunday.
He knows the atmosphere will be ferocious, and entirely tilted.
“I think the crowd will obviously be right behind their team, and I would expect that to be reciprocated the following Sunday. We know we are up against a very fine side and a crowd who can make a difference.
If we can get in front in the game, that will make the crowd anxious.”
That is the plan: silence Ibrox early, turn that noise into nerves, and lean on the pressure that always stalks this fixture.
Selection dilemmas and European demands
O’Neill arrives at this quarter-final juggling form, fitness and a heavy schedule. He rotated his squad in the 1-0 win over St Johnstone, leaving star forward Camilo Durán on the bench from the start.
“He has been so brilliant for us,” O’Neill admitted. “I thought that we could rest him for the game, then I was not sure that we could. I'm not sure that we're good enough to rest people in that sense.
Over the course of time we will have to make changes, particularly since we're playing European games.”
That last line tells the story. Celtic are already feeling the squeeze of domestic and European commitments, and O’Neill knows he must gamble with rotation without weakening his side in the biggest domestic fixture of the lot.
There is some good news. Midfielder Mika Baur is back in full training after a minor knock, adding another option in the middle of the park for a game that will be fought as much in duels and second balls as in patterns and passing lanes.
Johnstone v Sinisalo: the big call in goal
The most intriguing decision sits between the posts. New signing Sam Johnstone has arrived to push Viljami Sinisalo, and O’Neill has a genuine contest on his hands.
“I haven't made my mind up at all,” he insisted. “I thought Sam did very well, and we needed to get a look at what he could do. It's great to have the two of them. Sinisalo has done exceptionally well for us.”
No hints, no tells. Just a straight shootout in training before the real thing begins in Govan.
Whichever keeper gets the nod may have to decide the tie twice – first across 90 or 120 minutes, then from 12 yards.
Ready for the shootout
The League Cup quarter-final can go to penalties, and O’Neill is not leaving that to chance. Celtic have been drilling spot-kicks at the end of training sessions, trying to harden technique and routine before the pressure hits.
“We cannot replicate the stadium and the crowd, but if you've not practiced, it can be a double whammy for you. You might as well have a few shots and that's what we do at the end of our training sessions.”
They cannot recreate the noise of Ibrox or the weight of an Old Firm shootout. They can only prepare, walk out into a stadium with no green and white in sight, and see whether their work on the training ground holds when the quarter-final, and the mood of a season, rests on a single kick.
