Martin O’Neill reacts to his social media critics

Martin O’Neill has claimed that if he bothered with social media he wouldn’t get up in the morning.

The Celtic boss was speaking to the Daily Record and Celtic’s other newspaper partners.

When O’Neill had a book to sell he was popping up on every platform imaginable.

The Celtic Exchange and other podcasts got to speak with O’Neill as he recalled his time at Celtic 20 years ago to push sales of his book.

Celtic are also on every platform, again mainly to sell items from new kits to Stadium tours and whatever else is clogging up warehouses as a result of Not Another Penny.

Not many positive thoughts about Celtic are being shared on social media.

Even the Happy Clappers, that group of Celtic fans that view domestic domination are keeping a low profile these days.

Other than a 7-1 win over Hearts watching Celtic hasn’t been much fun.

The giddy days of mid-May are a distant memory as the impact of another transfer window takes root.

Celtic sold Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels in the summer to put a rosy glow on the balance sheet.

O’NEILL AND CELTIC IN THEIR BUBBLE

Six players were signed in the final 36 hours of the transfer window, only one cost a transfer fee. The one that hasn’t played a minute of football for his new club.

Dealing with the outside criticism the Record reports O’Neill saying:

Am I worried (about negatively)? Honestly, no. Years ago I would have been concerned myself but I don’t. Social media? I couldn’t do it, I wouldn’t get up in the morning if that’s the case.

And if it’s Celtic fans, it’s Celtic fans. Seriously, a way back 20-odd years ago, and I had the likes of Larsson, Sutton, Lennon, Petrov and Lambert, if we weren’t a goal in front after 25 minutes, there would be a bit of moaning going on.

So I’m well used to that. Personally speaking, I thought when we went behind against Dundee United, I thought the crowd really roused themselves. I thought the second half, in all honesty, belonged to us. So I don’t see it.

There is a danger that O’Neill could soon be talking up the second half against Dundee United to Benfica proportions.

Celtic had a bad 90 minutes. It was a poor performance, poor team selection, tactics and substitution.

Two points dropped not one gained as Celtic TV helpfully suggested

Of course I worry and concern myself about results and dropping points, but for the next set of games, if we have the same number of points, I would be ecstatic from the same group of players. It’s going to be improbable, but I would be delighted.

It seems that the social media criticism of Celtic is well known within the club although no-one will confess to reading it.

Communication Manager Iain Jamieson lives in a bubble that starts with his pals at the Record and ends at the Daily Mail.

Legacy publishers are now reduced to following social media reaction.

With around 25,000 daily sales and the bulk of them printed in Oldham the Record is as out of date as O’Neill’s approach to management.

And with that Celtic stumble on.

Afraid to name an AGM with aCEO who hasn’t been heard of since December when he was singing the praises of Wilfried Nancy.

Social media is many things but there is an underlying truth about much of it.

A truth that Celtic would rather not address.