Alan McInally worked under enough great managers to know they are about far more than just coaching or tactics. They have an aura. The former Celtic hero saw it in the likes of Davie Hay and Billy McNeill at Celtic and Graham Taylor at Aston Villa. He definitely sensed it when he famously pitched up at Bayern Munich when Bavarian legend Jupp Heynckes was in charge. And he is convinced Martin O'Neill has the same presence at Parkhead.
Heynckes Comparison
It is Heynckes who comes to mind for McInally when he sees O'Neill returning for yet another stint in charge of Celtic. The Munich hero was at the helm for his first spell back in the late eighties, and he eventually had four spells in charge at the Allianz Arena, including a final time in his seventies. When it comes to special managers, there is no such thing as a right man at the right time. For these guys, it is the right time at any time. Age is certainly no barrier when there is a bottomless well of desire and hunger for success.
McInally, who was back in Glasgow to cut the ribbon at the new Travis Perkins branch in the city, is thrilled to see O'Neill set to confirm he is going to stick around for at least another season. The 74-year-old stepped in last term to steady the ship, and then managed to steer it to glory in the Premiership and Scottish Cup. O'Neill could have sailed off into the sunset, but there is something different about these managers, something that makes it impossible to walk away from a challenge.
McInally's Admiration
McInally said: "I was a little bit surprised. I thought he might have felt he could do no more because what he did this year was astonishing. I thought he might be happy to go off into the sunset, or maybe take a role upstairs to oversee everything. But you can see how much he loves it. I was speaking to pals who are Celtic and Rangers fans, and they all were saying Rangers were going to win the league with room to spare. Then they were saying it was Hearts' year because they were absolutely brilliant. But Martin comes up with the plan of all plans and somehow does it."
"He has got that kind of mystique about him that great managers have. You see it with the fans, but especially the players. He has got that aura. He reminds me a little bit of my old boss Jupp Heynckes at Bayern. He went back about four times as manager there, including when he was in his seventies. Heynckes could not stay away from the place, and it is the same with Martin. He was a great manager. He had that aura I am talking about. He was still taking part in games and was still brilliant."
"These guys have something about them. I remember one of my first training sessions at Celtic, and Jimmy Johnstone was taking part. Jinky was about 100 years old at the time and was still unbelievable. There are certain people in football who have that, and Martin is one of them. It would have been easy for him to walk away, but if he feels fit and fancies it, then why not? Perhaps he thinks there is unfinished business. You know what will happen, he will win the league again and decide to take a back seat, but it will turn into a three-month sabbatical and he will be back in again! But Martin being in there gives Celtic a bit of time to do the work they need behind the scenes and maybe look down the line for the long term, unless Martin keeps going until he is 105!"
Keane Link and Celtic Pressure
O'Neill had first refusal on the position after his heroic Double, but if the club great had decided to walk away, Robbie Keane was waiting in the wings after holding talks with Parkhead power broker Dermot Desmond. The backlash from a section of fans over Keane's employment in Israel might have caused a few cold feet in the boardroom, but it was always O'Neill's job to turn down. McInally insisted Keane, or any other gaffer, would have been a gamble. But O'Neill is about as close as it gets to a sure thing.
There are plenty of coaches around who can put on an impressive training session, who can work wonders on a tactics board or dazzle with their new-fangled philosophies. Few can handle the unique heat of a job like Celtic though, where it is about far more than systems or setups. McInally said: "I cannot help but think it is in the right hands for this moment in time. I know Robbie was linked with it, and I think that could have been fine, especially if Martin has stayed. But they have already tried to give it to a couple of people, and it did not quite work. Being manager of Celtic Football Club is not like being manager anywhere else, I do not care what anyone says. It is not about the coaching. It is the man management and helping players understand exactly what it means to play for this club."
"When you run out at Parkhead, you need to be able to carry that expectation on your shoulders. Celtic fans adore their club, and the support is incredible. But they can also be harsh on you; it can turn quickly. If you cannot handle those demands, you have no chance. You see players genuinely crumble. But that is where you see Martin's strength. He gets the best out of players, he gets them performing under that kind of scrutiny, and he gets them delivering."
Alan McInally was speaking at the opening of the new Travis Perkins branch in Helen Street, Glasgow. For more information, visit www.travisperkins.co.uk.
