Manager hopes squad will respond after humbling at Ibrox

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill says the team’s 3-0 Premier Sports Cup quarter-final loss to Old Firm rivals Rangers must serve as a wake-up call for his players.

Celtic were comprehensively beaten by Rangers at Ibrox and outplayed in almost every department of the pitch. Home captain Dan Neil scored twice, while Kevin Kelsy also found the net.

The two sides will clash again in the Premiership next Sunday, and O’Neill is calling for a response from his squad when the pair meet again at Celtic Park.

“We were well beaten in the end,” said O’Neill. “I thought the first half we didn’t capitalise on a couple of really decent chances when we’d broken their press. But on the day, just second best.

“I think there has to be a realisation of how big this game is. It’s so important to the fans, so important to everybody. It’s still one of the great fixtures in European football, if not the world. And people have got to know that. That’s the point. We’ll have to try and learn from it.

“We play next Sunday, we’ve got a midweek game [against Ferencvaros on Thursday]. But really we have to. I think, hopefully, it’s a wake-up call. I have to look at myself for a start, then I look at the team. We were second best.

“You can go on, you can win some games, which we’ve been doing domestically and it’s been fine. We’ve found a way to win a couple of matches which were difficult for us. We were beaten today.

“Did Rangers surprise me? No. I think they’re strong. I think they’re physically strong. So it’ll be a big test for us next Sunday again, in every aspect.

“I think we can do much, much better than that. I think we can get the ball back a bit more quickly than we certainly did today, and start getting back to dominating. So we’ll see what next Sunday brings.

“In normal circumstances, I wouldn’t mind just a full week to look at a few things and maybe work on a couple of things. But yes, we had players today who were below par, and well below par, and that’s not a great mix.”

O’Neill handed four players their Old Firm debuts from the outset – goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, midfielder Mika Baur along with forwards Camilo Duran and Kasper Hogh. Defender Jordan Lotomba, winger Haissem Hassan and striker Shim Mheuka also experienced the fixture for the first time after coming on from the bench, and the manager believes the occasion should serve as a “culture shock” for his new arrivals.

“I hope it is. I hope it is, absolutely,” O’Neill said. “I’m sure it will be. It was a culture shock for me 26 years ago when I came here, we got smashed 5-1. “Certainly for some of the younger and the newer lads, it’s an experience that I don’t think they’ll forget.”

Why Celtic played Johnstone over Sinisalo

Asked why he selected Johnstone ahead of regular goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo after only one appearance for the club, O’Neill replied: “I want people to experience these games, because what other way am I going to learn about what people can or cannot do? The main objective is obviously to try and win, and it’s a fine balancing act from me.”

Sebastien Tounekti was chosen ahead of Haissem Hassan on the left flank after the Egyptian winger developed an issue overnight. “Young Hassan had an overnight problem, and he didn’t get much sleep in all honesty,” explained O’Neill, “so it was just a matter of not starting him because of that. That’s the reason, really.

O’Neill did manage to identify a bright spot in the display of 20-year-old right-back Colby Donovan, who received a first-half booking and was repeatedly challenged defensively by Rangers’ attacking players.

“I think young Colby has come out of this with great credit,” said O’Neill. “I think he’s an absolute warrior.

“Sometimes we misplace passes, but he’s got a big heart. I think we can all learn from that. And because of the size of his heart, he was booked in the first half, but he kept going right to the end.

“He was booked against St Mirren after about eight or nine minutes, still kept going. In terms of heart and desire, he’s been a big plus for us.”

Despite Celtic suffering a heavy defeat against Rangers, O’Neill welcomed the opportunity to take on Derek McInnes’ team at home again next weekend in the Premiership. As with the cup encounter at Ibrox, travelling supporters will not be allowed to attend.

“That would be good, yes,” he said of meeting Derek McInnes’ side once more. “I’m looking forward to that. I’m looking forward to our crowd making the same sort of noise as the Ibrox crowd made today.