Martin O'Neill is on the verge of returning to the Champions League for the first time in 22 years, with his Celtic side needing to protect a 3-0 first-leg lead over LASK in a play-off second leg in Linz, Austria, on Tuesday night.
The 74-year-old Northern Irishman had not been seen in a dugout since leaving Nottingham Forest six years earlier when Celtic majority shareholder Dermot Desmond called him last October as he paused for coffee on the King's Road in London. That same morning, O'Neill had been on the radio dismissing Celtic and Rangers' title credentials and tipping Hearts to win the Scottish Premiership.
O'Neill was rehired in time to repair the damage done by Wilfried Nancy, who had been given the job before being pushed aside later in the year. He went on to lead Celtic to the championship ahead of Hearts, atoning for losing the title on the final day of the 2004-05 season during his first spell in charge at the club.
'I wish it would never come'
Reaching the Champions League group stage was not something O'Neill had been thinking about when he returned to the dugout last October. It became a real possibility after Celtic beat LASK 3-0 in the first leg last week.
"I would love to do it," he said afterwards. "But honestly... Tuesday... I wish it would never come."
O'Neill's last European campaign, 22 years ago, was his third crack at the old four-team Champions League group stage and by far his toughest. Celtic were drawn in Group F alongside Barcelona, AC Milan and Shakhtar Donetsk.
They lost at home to the Catalans, were beaten away in Italy and Ukraine, narrowly defeated Shakhtar in Glasgow and took a point at the Nou Camp thanks to John Hartson. Celtic finished without even a route into what was then the UEFA Cup.
The Maldini connection
A goalless draw at home to Milan on December 7 that year came despite eight players who had featured in Celtic's 2003 UEFA Cup final in Seville starting the match. Brazilian midfielder Juninho again flattered to deceive for the visitors.
Afterwards, Milan captain Paolo Maldini told reporters that Celtic teenager Aiden McGeady had caught his eye and was one for the future. McGeady, who made his Celtic debut under O'Neill in the 2003-04 season, turned 40 in April, has since retired and now works as a radio pundit.
A record within reach
Should Celtic's name be in Friday's draw, O'Neill would set a new mark for the longest gap between Champions League campaigns for a manager. When Jupp Heynckes took Bayern Munich into the competition in 2011-12, it marked his return to the group stage 13 years after leading Real Madrid to the trophy. O'Neill's 22-year gap would beat that by eight years.
There is work to do first. LASK were entitled to feel the 3-0 scoreline in Glasgow was harsh, with Celtic ruthless in front of goal while the Austrians were not.
LASK's threat in Linz
O'Neill and his coaching staff used the free weekend to remind their players that LASK do not usually waste chances the way they did last week, and that Dietmar Kuhbauer's side tend to score in clusters in big matches. Last season in the Austrian Bundesliga, LASK put three goals past Sturm Graz, RB Salzburg and twice past Rapid Vienna, and scored seven across two games against Austria Vienna.
Neither Moses Usor, last season's top scorer with 15 goals, nor towering American centre forward Samuel Adeniran found their range in Glasgow, but both had chances.
"We need an exceptional performance now in Linz," Kuhbauer said. "We'll do everything we can to achieve the impossible."
LASK need everything to go their way if they are to reach the Champions League for the first time. Celtic have lost a three-goal first-leg lead in Europe only once, away to MTK Hungaria in the 1963-64 Cup Winners' Cup semi-final.
Reasons for confidence
Celtic's third goal last week, struck with the left boot of summer signing Camilo Duran, felt significant, as did a clean sheet from goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo. O'Neill has recalled his old side's mixed away record in Europe, including a two-goal defeat in Basel that eliminated Celtic from the 2002-03 Champions League play-off on away goals.
More relevant, though, is that much of the current squad won away to Feyenoord and VfB Stuttgart in last season's Europa League and took a hard-fought point at Bologna with ten men. The squad has also been strengthened since then, with Duran, Kasper Hogh, Mika Baur and Haissem Hassan arriving for a combined £30million.
That marks a shift from a year ago under previous manager Brendan Rodgers, when a forward line featuring Adam Idah and Shin Yamada failed to score in 210 minutes against Kairat Almaty. O'Neill's Celtic have already scored 13 goals in four competitive matches this season. Weathering an early LASK push and finding a goal on the break in Linz would be enough to send them into Friday's draw.
