Martin O’Neill always speaks passionately about his time at Celtic after the former Hoops boss became a legend in the eyes of the fans over his 5-year spell at the club.
Winning a treble in his maiden season was the beginning of the end of Rangers’ domination of Scottish football and a return of Celtic to the top of the domestic game and in Europe.
Taking Celtic to the Champions League group stages was a massive achievement as O’Neill’s team gave many of Europe’s top sides a bloody nose.
And then there was Seville. The 2003 UEFA Cup final was the pinnacle of O’Neill’s achievements at Celtic despite losing to Jose Mourninho’s Porto.
But it was a player who helped create history before and during O’Neill’s tenure that the former Celtic boss praised after attending a UEFA event over the weekend.
O’Neill praises ‘terrific’ Tommy Johnson
Tommy Johnson will be remembered by Celtic fans as a striker who joined the club prior to Wim Jansen‘s historic league title win in 1998.
A Tommy Burns signing, Johnson was plagued by injury and found it difficult to break into the Celtic first team especially when he was up against the likes of Henrik Larsson, Harald Brattback and Mark Viduka.
But that didn’t stop O’Neill from praising his former frontman as he attended a UEFA B course as a guest of honour for Johnson last weekend.
Taking to Instagram after the event, O’Neill said, “I had a really fun day in Belfast with the coaches doing the UEFA B diploma course.
“Hosted by Tommy Johnson who was a terrific player for me when I first went to Celtic as manager.
“Thanks, Tommy for the invitation to share a few experiences with the group about my days in coaching and management and keep up the excellent work you are doing.”
The former Celtic striker played 16 games under O’Neill scoring five goals. However, his most important goal was in the 2000 League Cup final where he scored in the 2-0 win over Aberdeen to deliver a trophy in what was one of Celtic’s most turbulent periods under John Barnes and Kenny Dalglish.
Johnson enjoyed better form under Dalglish but it is clear he still managed to create an impression on O’Neill as the legendary Celtic gaffer clearly still holds the striker in high regard with whom he won a treble in 2001 as part of his squad.