'Extraordinary' Rohl comments about Celtic rile O'Neill

Martin O'Neill is not anticipating as many surprises on his 74th birthday as he received when hearing what Sunday's opposition team boss, Danny Rohl, had said before what both hope will be an Old Firm derby celebration day.

Earlier, Rangers' German head coach had responded to Celtic midfielder Luke McCowan's suggestion that "if we're at it, no team in that league touches us" by pointing out that his Ibrox side are two points above the third-placed reigning champions.

Rohl also thought it "will be interesting" to see whether O'Neill restores Kasper Schmeichel in goal after Viljami Sinisalo played so well in Thursday's 1-0 Europa League victory for a much-changed Celtic over Stuttgart.

Expressing surprise at the comments about a tie Celtic lost 4-2 on aggregate, O'Neill said: "So he is picking our team? Well done old Danny. He's only in less than a year.

"I have to laugh. He's made a comment about the picking of our team? Absolutely extraordinary. He hasn't been in Glasgow long.

"There's no need for him commenting on my team."

However, what appeared to get O'Neill most irritated was the Rangers boss' suggestion that: "I was a little bit surprised after 1-0 that they're [Celtic] not trying to win this game, 2-0, 3-0, to have a chance. They keep the result until the end."

The Northern Irishman replied: "He wants to be involved in some of these games.

"I didn't see it like that. We were driven back because they are a very good team and in the top four of the Bundesliga."

All that after Rohl had insisted: "I think, in general, it makes no sense to speak too much about the other side, we have to focus on ourselves."

Hence the battle lines have been drawn for a Glasgow derby that could be of crucial importance to the destination of the Scottish title.

Heart of Midlothian are four points clear of Rangers at the top of the Premiership and Celtic two points further back with a game in hand.

O'Neill does not think the comments will add any fuel to what is usually a fiery fixture.

He should know. Although it will be his first league Old Firm derby since a 2-1 win at Ibrox in April 2005, he has won eight of his last 10 against Rangers, losing just two, and also led them to a 3-1 League Cup semi-final win over Rohl's side in November.

That was in his first spell as interim manager, but Rangers reversed the scoreline at Celtic Park in January, a result that went some way to ushering in his second after the sacking of Wilfried Nancy.

Celtic's first-ever win in Germany came after a 2-1 loss at home to Hibernian dented their domestic title hopes.

"We are running out of games," O'Neill admitted. "We have been trying to catch up for quite some considerable time and we're still trying to do that.

"Losing to Hibs was a setback, but it wasn't mortal and we're still there."

Now he is relishing a "really great fixture" he "never expected" to be involved in again.

"He [Rohl] possesses a fine team over there and it is going to be tough for us to get a result," O'Neill admitted.

"In normal circumstances, you would like the full week to prepare, but we've gone to Ibrox and won before after we have played midweek games."

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'No team will be out of race after this game'

With Hearts hosting Aberdeen on Saturday, Derek McInnes' long-time leaders could have stretched their advantage over the Glasgow pair before they do battle in Govan, but Rohl insisted "we have to focus on ourselves".

"We are ready," he said. "Do it with a hot heart and a smart mind. If we do this then we have a big chance.

"We have a clear idea of what we want to do. We have also some different solutions, how we can hurt them."

Like Celtic, Rangers suffered a setback last weekend when they drew 2-2 away to bottom side Livingston, coming from two goals down after having twice been behind the previous week when defeating Hearts 4-2.

"My team showed character, big personality in the last couple of weeks," Rohl suggested.

"Also to come back away in Celtic, in the stadium there after 1-0 down, showed that, even if the game goes in one direction, what we don't want, we always have a chance to come back."

Rohl feels he and his side "are on fire" after "a good training week" and feels "the confidence" and "the belief".

"It's a crucial game, but no team will be out after this game because there are still 27 points you can take," he insisted. "It's two matchdays and you are in the title race again.

"It's a crucial one because, when you come closer and closer to the end of the season and there is more and more in, then you know every game is important."

O'Neill, meanwhile, is not putting any significance on the game landing on his birthday.

"I have not celebrated a birthday since I was 49, so it makes no difference to me," he insisted.

Quoting legendary Rangers manager Walter Smith, he simply predicted a feeling of "relief" come the final whistle.

Pick of the stats

• Rangers have lost once in 15 outings, away to Porto in Europa League, have won 10 in a row at home by an aggregate score of 32-4, are unbeaten in 13 since losing to Roma in November and remain undefeated at Ibrox domestically this season.
• Celtic head across the city to Ibrox unbeaten in six away games since losing to Motherwell in December.
• Rangers last won 11 successive home matches within a single season in April 2003 under Alex McLeish – the 11th of which was a win over Celtic.
• Celtic have lost seven Premiership games this season, as many as they did in 2023-24 and 2024-25 combined, and last suffered more defeats in a league campaign in 1999-00 – with their eighth defeat that season coming away to Rangers.
• Following a 0-0 draw in their last encounter at Ibrox in August, Celtic have not won in four visits to Ibrox since a 1-0 victory in September 2023, but they have only lost one of those.
• Rohl could become the first-ever Rangers manager to win both of his first two league Old Firm derbies.