Celtic legend Peter Grant has thrown his full support behind under-fire manager Martin O'Neill, insisting the veteran boss remains the right man to lead the champions despite a difficult start to the campaign.
O'Neill has faced mounting criticism after Celtic crashed out of the Champions League and Premier Sports Cup, as well as suffering back-to-back defeats to Rangers. Some fans have called for the 74-year-old to walk away, with the manager himself admitting he would consider his future over the international break.
But Grant, who shook O'Neill's hand and thanked him for his title-winning heroics at the end of last season, believes a well-needed holiday with wife Geraldine could give the boss the chance to reset and return ready to get the champions back on track.
Grant backs O'Neill to bounce back
Speaking to Record Sport, Grant said: "Martin won't stay on if he felt as if he couldn't so I back him 100 per cent."
"Martin's not a good loser. That's why he's been so successful. He doesn't like getting beat. The only thing I would say, the difference now between Martin getting named manager in the summer is he's had that little spell at hospital."
"Maybe that's taken a little bit more out of him than he expected. He'll know if his body's ready for it. And listen if he felt the fire had gone out, I think he'd already decided that."
Celtic still top of the league
Grant was at pains to point to the league table, insisting the doom and gloom is overblown.
"Celtic are a point better off than last year and two points clear at the top of the league. And nobody mentions it, really," he said.
"Everybody's mentioned how great Rangers have done. They're still two points behind Celtic. That's the bottom line."
"I look at it from both sides, because obviously I look at it as a supporter, and I understand the frustrations of everything else that goes around it."
"I also look at it from a management side, where you've got to have that positivity. All the criticism, all the tough times it's been. But, you're still two points clear of the league."
"If you're sitting eight or six points behind, you're starting to say, 'Well, how are we going to get that back?' You're sitting two points in front - and you've not played well yet."
Viral moment explained
Grant also revealed what prompted his spontaneous thank-you to O'Neill on the club's TV channel after the dramatic final day against Hearts, a moment which went viral on social media.
"I remember doing the interview with Martin after the game. Gerry was speaking to him and then he said 'you know this man' and he turned round and he was surprised because he didn't realise that I was standing," Grant said.
"I just thanked him because listen, I'm a Celtic supporter and I was delighted. I genuinely believe hand in my heart - and I know that players were magnificent - but if it wasn't for the manager, Celtic wouldn't have won it. That's for sure."
Grant added that O'Neill's experience was crucial during the title run-in, saying: "You hear other managers talking, I think they showed their inexperience then. He never got too carried away and he knew what he had to do. That's not all changed - that knowledge and understanding."
"His job was to help Celtic try and win a game of football and they managed to do that, so as a supporter I was more than thankful!"
While some Rangers supporters believe the pendulum is swinging after their back-to-back wins, Grant warned against writing off the champions.
"You'd have thought they were handing the trophy out to the weekend. There's a long time to go. And Celtic have to perform. There's no doubt of that," he said.
