Martin O’Neill spent almost seven minutes today in front of the might of the Scottish broadcasting media.
To describe it as a waste of time would be a compliment.
O’Neill knocked down the claim that Julian Araujo won’t be returning from injury.
And that was about it.
We don’t know what sort of injury Araujo has or an approximate time line for the return of the Mexican defender.
Supporters know the limitations of the Scottish media.
They have no interest beyond leaving Lennoxtown with a couple of sound-bites to fit into their sports bulletins.
It is 12 days on from Celtic’s defeat against Dundee United.
None of the outfield players got beyond a 6 out of 10. The cop-out level in player ratings.
Kelechi Iheanacho started his first match in three months.
Three different players appeared at right-back.
There wasn’t a specific question about the nightmare performance at Tannadice.
MORE QUESTIONS, FEW ANSWERS FROM O’NEILL
During the 6 minutes 42 second video the name of Tomas Cvancara wasn’t even mentioned.
The half time substitution of the on loan striker turned the match against Motherwell.
He didn’t make the squad at Tannadice. Again no detail was given on what the injury/problem was.
On Araujo O’Neill said:
It’s a thigh injury. Oh, of course. Yeah, I do. I think he’s doing fine in recovery now.
So, the physios are obviously keeping in touch with the Bournemouth physios. We expect to see him back, hopefully, in the not-too-distant future.
O’Neill started the conference with a jokey reference to Callum McGregor seeing him on an un-named promenade.
No one thought to ask about McGregor’s fitness and performance against Dundee United.
The captain had missed the previous two matches due to a calf injury. He was taken off after 57 minutes.
There was a raft of questions to ask O’Neill. His first public appearance in 12 days, nothing was learned.
O’Neill is three months into his latest stint in charge of Celtic.
The club appears to have made no progress towards appointing a permanent manager. Or a permanent chairman, or a CEO with a voice.
A competent recruitment team would be welcome- but not from the regime that appointed Mark Lawwell, Paul Tisdale and Wilfried Nancy.
There are dozens of questions that Celtic fans want answers to.
NOT EVEN A GREEN BRIGADE QUESTION
No-one thought to ask if O’Neill was aware of developments on the suspension of the Green Brigade.
Celtic are stumbling towards a summer of reckoning. A summer of World Cup football. The biggest and longest World Cup ever.
Celtic could be facing one Champions League play-off or three Conference League qualifiers.
Other than a monthly call for unity from Brian Wilson there has been absolutely no comment from the club. Not even a lecture from Dermot Desmond.
After his broadcast interview O’Neill will have sat down with newspaper reporters with the content embargoed until 10.30pm.
They tend to be more direct, they have their spaces to fill. They are fighting for survival, for relevance.
Meanwhile those anti-establishment fans look in from the outside wondering what is going on.
Unable to decide if the running of the club is down to incompetence or self sabotage.
At some stage this month the Season Ticket renewal campaign will get underway.
And at that point the club will finally have to communicate. If they can remember with big Peter now getting his free lunches out of the European Football Clubs.
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