Butterflies, Belief And Balance — Celtic Are 90 Minutes From The Champions League!

Here we go then.

Three goals ahead. Ninety minutes away from the Champions League league stage. And yet I’d be lying through my teeth if I said there weren’t already a few butterflies kicking about.

Celtic travel to Austria tonight in an incredibly strong position after that superb 3-0 victory over LASK at Celtic Park. On paper, you look at that advantage and think Celtic should be seeing this through.

Football isn’t played on paper though, is it?

That’s where the nerves come from. That’s where all those horrible memories of European qualifiers start creeping into your head.

But alongside those nerves, I’m genuinely excited about this Celtic team and, perhaps more importantly, the man currently managing it.

His press conference last night was a million miles away from the after dinner speaker vibes given off maybe too often last season.

There was a stern look throughout and a razor sharp focus bringing back so memories of old whilst reminding us in the present that when the Boss means business, he means business.

So how does Martin O’Neill approach tonight?

I don’t think Celtic sit in.

I certainly don’t think we’re going over there to stick ten men behind the ball and desperately protect a three-goal advantage for 90 minutes. Martin himself has already indicated that isn’t his intention.

But equally, I don’t expect Celtic to go completely gung-ho either.

And that’s actually where I think O’Neill could show one of his greatest strengths.

We’re living in an era of football where managers constantly talk about their philosophy. Their identity and their non-negotiables.

This is how we play.

We won’t change for anybody.

Blah blah blah.

There’s nothing necessarily wrong with that, but sometimes football requires something else.

It requires adaptation.

Martin O’Neill has been around far too long to believe there’s only one way to win a football match.

I expect Celtic to carry attacking intent tonight and to get on the front foot when the opportunity presents itself.

With the pace, confidence and form currently running through this team, LASK absolutely should be worried about what Celtic can do going the other way.

But there will also be periods where we have to defend.

There will be moments where LASK get their tails up, the crowd gets behind them and Celtic have to weather something.

That’s when I want to see control.

A street wise version of Celtic.

Slow the game down. Keep possession. Kill their momentum. Defend deeper when required. Be disciplined.

There’s no shame in doing that.

That isn’t abandoning your identity. That’s showing you’ve got more than one dimension to it.

And I’m confident Celtic score tonight.

Very confident, actually.

If Celtic get that goal, the mathematics become absolutely brutal for LASK. They would then need four just to force extra time.

Do I see Celtic conceding four goals tonight?

No.

That’s why the first Celtic goal could effectively be the moment this tie is put to bed.

But until it comes — or until that final whistle goes — I’ll still have the nerves.

Of course I will.

This is Celtic. This is Europe.

And we’ve all been watching this club long enough to know better than to start celebrating qualification before it’s actually secured.

But there’s something different about the feeling going into this one.

We aren’t chasing the tie.

We aren’t praying for a miracle.

Celtic have earned themselves this position.

Three goals ahead, playing well, scoring goals and being led by a manager who has been around European nights like these more times than most.

There’ll be butterflies.

Expect a few uncomfortable moments.

But above everything else, there should be excitement.

Celtic are 90 minutes away from the Champions League.

Go and finish the job!

If you fancy some company watching tonight’s game I will be doing a live “watch-along” on The Bhoycie Bus from around 7.45pm.

ALL ABOARD! LASK VS CELTIC (0-3) | CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFIER | LIVE WATCHALONG – YouTube