Celtic midfielder Arne Engels has issued a stark warning to the club's title rivals, declaring the born-again champions are now "hunting" down the Scottish Premiership crown following a dramatic change in management.
A New Dawn Under O'Neill
The Belgian international's bullish assessment comes on the back of a stunning 4-0 demolition of Dundee United at Parkhead on Saturday. The match marked the successful return of Martin O'Neill to the Celtic dug-out, replacing the departed Wilfried Nancy.
Under Nancy's brief and troubled reign, Celtic had managed just two wins in six league games, a run that included a damaging home defeat to Rangers on January 3rd. The performance against Jim Goodwin's Dundee United, however, showcased a team transformed in both spirit and style.
"Everybody has a lot of confidence now," said Engels, who scored the second goal in the rout. "I think it's really good that we just stick to the basics again and that we do what we are good at. Then you see everything follows."
From Rabble to Resurgence
Engels admitted the squad had found the going exceptionally tough under Nancy's ill-fated 3-4-3 formation, a period he described as "really strange". The team's collective and individual displays had become unrecognisable from the side that previously dominated Scottish football.
The midfielder pinpointed the immediate impact of O'Neill's simple messaging and a swift return to the manager's preferred 4-3-3 system as key to the turnaround. "I think we knew what system he wanted to play because we had him before," Engels explained. "So, it's up to us then to just simplify the game and go on and create a lot of chances and we did that."
He praised the coaching staff for "putting it back on the rails" after a dismal sequence that, aside from the Rangers loss, included defeats to Motherwell, Hearts, and a League Cup final loss to St Mirren.
Geared Up for the Title Fight
With 17 league games remaining, Engels believes Celtic are now primed for an almighty battle with Hearts and Rangers at the summit. The win has provided a vital platform and a renewed sense of purpose.
"We know now that we have some points that we need to come back from," he stated. "But we are Celtic so we want to win everything and we actually like to be just chasing something. So, now we have a goal from here... we are going all in for that championship."
Delivering the title, Engels suggested, would be the perfect way for the players to repay O'Neill for answering the club's call for a second time. "He came in twice (after) a really difficult period and he gave us a lot of confidence and trust that we are really good players," the midfielder said.
"Obviously, we want to give him something back, but we also want to give ourselves something back because it's been a really tough period for us all. We have a lot of goals that we still need to go for."
With the Europa League knockout stages and the Scottish Cup also in their sights, Engels concluded that the squad is determined to make the most of their fresh start under the returning boss.
