Celtic-Hearts fixture schedule questioned as 'nice cold beer' admission made on Martin O'Neill's future
Former Celtic man questions Scottish Premiership fixture schedule
Celtic’s fixture schedule has been brought into question and labelled as one of the key deciding factors in this season’s intense Scottish Premiership title race.
Just two points separate defending champions Celtic from league leaders Hearts heading into their Scottish Premiership games against Dundee United and Dundee this weekend, while Rangers are also hot on the tail of both in third place and just three points from the summit.
With all three still in with a chance of winning the title this season, former Celtic assistant manager Peter Grant believes the scheduling of all three sides' fixtures could play a huge part in who emerges victorious at the end of the campaign.
"You've still got to say Hearts are favourites,” Grant told Premier Sports. “They're in front. You always like to be top of the league. If you're Celtic, you like to be chased. I'd rather be in Hearts' position than Celtic's. I've said that the whole way through. But it's very close now, and it's interesting.
“I'd like to know how many times Hearts have kicked off after Celtic, or Rangers. As has happened in the last two games, with Celtic anyway. They've [Hearts] lost those last two, at Rangers and away to Kilmarnock. I was involved with Tony Mowbray [at Celtic as assistant] and we'd play on a Sunday all the time. We played one Saturday in the season out of the full nine months we were there and it was torture, because Rangers always played on the Saturday.
"The difference is if it's 0-0 with five minutes to go, your supporters are all nervous, the players are more nervous. I think it's got a big part to play in what we go into now. I'd be interested to see how many times Hearts have played last [after Celtic and Rangers] and how many points they've won when they've played last.”
Meanwhile, the 60-year-old doesn’t think that veteran boss O’Neill will be tempted to extend his stay beyond the current campaign, even if he is able to secure Celtic's fifth successive title. However, he would leave having completed his greatest achievement as the club’s manager if he does, according to Grant.
“This will be his best league championship if he wins this one,” said Grant. “Because the team has played nowhere near it's capabilities. They've not had a centre-forward. It's not a Martin O'Neill team, but he's dragged them back both times he has come in. It's great credit to him, but I think Martin will move on. It's a different environment he is in now. He'll want to take a breather after this one. If he wins the league, he can go back to Ireland and sip a nice, cold beer. That's what I'd be doing if I was Martin for sure.”
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