O'Neill Challenges Celtic After Derby Defeat

Martin O'Neill has drawn a hard line under Celtic’s derby capitulation and challenged his players to prove they can handle the heat of Glasgow – starting in Europe on Thursday night.

Four days after a meek 3-0 Scottish League Cup defeat to Rangers at Ibrox, the Celtic manager refused to wallow in the fallout, insisting his side "will get ourselves right" as they open their Europa League campaign at home to Ferencvaros.

Every defeat at this club brings noise. Lose to Rangers and the volume explodes.

"Every game that Celtic lose, there's a crisis, and of course even bigger if you lose to Rangers, so we've done enough talking about it," O'Neill said at his pre-match press conference. "Our players are disappointed with the performance, we could have done better, I think we accept that, and we just apply ourselves now again for the league fixtures."

The pressure comes in a double dose this week. Ferencvaros arrive at Parkhead on Thursday, then Rangers cross the city again for a Scottish Premiership rematch on Sunday. Two games. Two chances to repair bruised pride before the international break.

O'Neill, now in his second full-time spell in charge, did not sugar-coat the scale of Sunday’s let-down.

"We were disappointed ourselves, we disappointed the fans and now we just have to rise to the occasion," the 74-year-old said. "We've got two matches in which to do so before the break. Two big games for us, Ferencvaros will not be easy, but we've done it before, we'll get ourselves right."

The derby at Ibrox was a harsh introduction for half his starting XI. Five of those who began the Old Firm clash were tasting the fixture for the first time, and it showed.

"I think it was an eye opener to some of the newer lads," O'Neill admitted. "We've got to find out about players, about whether they're capable of dealing with these games. Hopefully, over the course of time, they will be."

Ferencvaros now walk into a stadium demanding a reaction, and Rangers follow close behind. Over the next four days, Celtic’s players will discover whether that “eye opener” has stung them into life – or exposed something deeper in a squad still learning what this rivalry, and this club, really requires.