O’Neill fears signings block

MARTIN O’NEILL yesterday expressed his concerns at not being able to bring in players for the domestic campaign even though his own injury crisis looks like clearing up.

FIFA have banned Europe’s top-flight clubs from making new signings before the transfer window even though lower leagues are free to make signings.

But because of Celtic’s financial restrictions they are finding it hard to cope with their current injury problems which O’Neill fears could cost them success if they worsen.

“There are a couple of transfer windows in the modern day but obviously the European scene is different,” he said. “That has always been the rule (in Europe) that you can sign players at a certain time after Christmas. That’s fine but you are unable to sign players at home and if you want to do something you will find great difficulty.

“A lot of teams find that a serious problem and I have often thought what would happen if we were unable to do anything about it for four of five months when everybody got injured at the same time, which is always possible. We have managed to cope before and we will have to cope again. But this has been a definite problem in recent weeks.”

O’Neill’s own injury problems are showing signs of improvement ahead of the vital Champions League Group F clash with Shakhtar Donetsk at Parkhead next week.

The Irishman looked desperately short of numbers after the weekend victory at Livingston cost him Henri Camara, Stephen McManus and Stanislav Varga. The trio looked set to join Ulrik Laursen, David Fernandez, Robert Douglas, Joos Valgaeren and others on the sidelines.

Camara and McManus are out with an ankle injury and gashed knee respectively but Varga has given Celtic a much-needed boost by returning to training yesterday after a thigh injury.

O’Neill also expects John Hartson (head) and Didier Agathe (knee) to be fit but Shaun Maloney (knee) Alan Thompson (hamstring) are further off.

A number of players are also carrying injuries but O’Neill has still promised to field his strongest possible 11 for the visit of much-improved Aberdeen to Parkhead tonight.

Celtic are seven points clear of Rangers at the top of the Bank of Scotland Premier League going into the game after their arch rivals were held at home by Dundee United.

But O’Neill insisted: “In an ideal world it would be great to be able to rest people. But we wouldn’t be in that position and from my experience I know that as soon as I start thinking ahead at another game that’s the time that you will get done.”