Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has strongly rejected allegations made by Hearts shareholder Tony Bloom that players were assaulted during a pitch invasion at Celtic Park last weekend. Speaking publicly for the first time since the controversy, O'Neill insisted that no evidence has yet been produced to support such claims.
O'Neill Questions Bloom's Claims
Bloom had told talkSPORT earlier this week that 'one or two players were assaulted' amid the chaotic scenes as Celtic scored two late goals to clinch the league title. However, O'Neill, speaking ahead of Saturday's Scottish Cup Final against Dunfermline, dismissed the assertions as premature.
'First of all, I think I heard Tony Bloom saying that there were two players assaulted,' O'Neill said. 'It's not true - if it is, it hasn't been proven yet. I've watched the pictures back, and I think one of their players actually snaps a phone away from a lad and stamps on it.'
The veteran manager pointed out that the pitch invasion lasted only two minutes and 50 seconds, and criticised Bloom for making serious allegations without proof. 'For someone to say, without proof at this moment, that the players had been assaulted, I think that's irresponsible,' he added.
Apology for 'Nonsense' Comment
O'Neill also apologised for using the word 'nonsense' during his own talkSPORT interview on Monday, which had drawn criticism from Hearts. He explained that the comment was made in the heat of the moment and was taken out of context. 'I do apologise for the word in that context but Jim was just irritating me,' he said, referring to presenter Jim White.
He questioned why White did not press Bloom as hard on the assault claims, suggesting a double standard. 'It's interesting Jim didn't pursue this. When someone of that ilk says players have been assaulted, the normal question would be to push on that.'
Defending Pitch Invasions
Despite the controversy, O'Neill defended the tradition of pitch invasions, arguing that banning them would diminish the game's emotional appeal. 'If there's going to be a universal ban on people coming on to the pitch, something would be lost from the game,' he said, while acknowledging that any proven assaults would be unacceptable.
He also noted that similar incidents have occurred elsewhere, such as at Kilmarnock, and questioned why the reaction had been so intense in this case. 'Had the situation been reversed, and it had happened at Hearts, I think there wouldn't have been the clamour,' O'Neill added.
Phone Number Leak
O'Neill revealed that his personal phone number was leaked following Celtic's controversial victory over Motherwell last week, which saw a highly contentious penalty awarded deep into stoppage time. He said he received around 250 abusive calls and texts, forcing him to change a number he had used for 35 years.
'I haven't contacted the police yet but I may do,' he said. 'There were only about 250 calls. I've changed my telephone number because it was circulated around.'
Future at Celtic
At 74, O'Neill is under pressure to stay on beyond the summer, especially if he leads Celtic to a domestic double by beating Dunfermline. He confirmed he expects talks with major shareholder Dermot Desmond but dismissed any notion of a long-term deal. 'I wouldn't expect him to say "look, there's a five-year deal". If he does... that takes me up to 93!' he joked.
Despite the recent acrimony, O'Neill remains committed. 'Do I really need this at this stage of my life? I do think about it. But it's worth it,' he said, adding that the challenges from Hearts and Rangers are good for Scottish football.
