O'Neill primes Celtic old boys to seize the day
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Your support makes all the difference.It was not quite in the Robin Williams category, but Martin O'Neill yesterday delivered the kind of pep talk that is likely to result in carpe diem being daubed on the Celtic dressing room walls.
Tonight Parkhead plays host to its first European semi-final in 29 years and the Celtic manager wants his players to seize the opportunity and overcome Boavista to bring the bring the Uefa Cup final a step closer.
A sell-out crowd of 60,000 will be eager to see the Portuguese side follow in the wake of Blackburn Rovers, Celta Vigo, Stuttgart and Liverpool, who have all fallen to O'Neill's side.
A good number of his players, such as Henrik Larsson, Neil Lennon and Paul Lambert, are in their thirties and O'Neill does want them to fritter away the chance of playing in a final. "European semi-finals do not come around too often," he said, "and, having battled to get this far, we don't want to give it up lightly.
"It has been a fantastic run. We've played 14 ties in Europe this season and the win at Anfield, especially, pleased me. It showed we could hack it with the big boys. But it would all mean nothing if we lost now."
O'Neill chose to distance himself from any comparisons of his team and the one Jock Stein led to the European Cup success in 1967 and another losing appearance in the final three years later. "Their success will stand for all time, but it has been such a long time [since Stein's side] which has made this Uefa Cup run all the more exciting."
Some Celtic supporters have already booked flights and secured tickets for the final in Seville in May, but O'Neill insisted that was not over-confidence, but merely an indicator of the appetite around Parkhead.
However, first he must negotiate his way around Boavista, who may appear as the weaker of the semi-final possibilities, compared to Lazio and Porto, but whom O'Neill accords the greatest respect. "I know they are not going well in the Portuguese league right now, but ignore that," he said. "They have had their hearts set on the Uefa Cup as well, and they have risen to that stage. They also reached the second phase of the Champions' League last term, so they are good."
Celtic could have Didier Agathe back on the right side of midfield. The French winger tore his hamstring five weeks ago and O'Neill admits he would like him to test the Portuguese. "Didier has probably played his best games in Europe and if we could get him for even a bit of the game, we would be happy," he said. Robert Douglas is also fit, after his thigh strain, to resume his place in goal.
Boavista have been making cocky boasts about how Larsson pales in comparison to Mario Jardel, the Brazilian who is the top scorer in Portugal. The goalkeeper Ricardo declared: "Larsson or Hartson do not worry me – we are capable of winning this tie."
Celtic (3-5-2, probable): Douglas; Mjallby, Baldé, Valgaeren; Agathe, Lambert, Lennon, Petrov, Thompson; Larsson, Hartson.
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