Lisbon Lions legend says O'Neill can match Jock

Lisbon Lions goalkeeper Ronnie Simpson believes Martin O’Neill can truly be compared to Jock Stein if he lays his hands on the UEFA Cup this season.

The late Parkhead legend is regarded by every Celtic fan and pundit as their greatest-ever manager having led the Glasgow giants to the European Cup back in 1967.

But O’Neill is also on the verge of big things having taken the class of 2003 to the semi-final of a European competition for the first time in 29 years.

He won the treble in his first season and retained the title last time, but while Simpson has only worked under Stein he feels O’Neill’s record could be up there with the best.

“Martin has been very influential since he came to the club and he has never been scared after defeats like Sunday,” he said. “He has been outstanding for the club.

“Being compared to Jock Stein is for other people to say. I haven’t worked under the man, but his results have been magnificent at Celtic and up there with anybody.

“Going all the way to winning the UEFA Cup this season would make it impossible not to be compared with the Celtic greats.”

Celtic moved to within two games of the final having beat Liverpool 2-0 at Anfield and the Parkhead legend is backing them to bring some European silverware back to Glasgow.

“It was a great result and thoroughly deserved in the end,” enthused Simpson. “It was a great performance and they played well which is all that matters.

“This is a semi-final now and they are only two games away from a final. You could never say that they couldn’t go the whole way.

“People would have thought they would have been out by now, but they are not and have a good chance of going all the way to win the trophy. I fancy them to go all the way.

“There are only good teams left in the competition now. We must give Celtic as equal a chance of winning it as the other three teams.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve had some success. I can’t recall the 1974 European semi-final, but this is a huge achievement.

“The quality of some of these teams is very good so that’s why it’s a huge achievement for the current side to go through.”

Their success so far has earned Celtic a place in the Champions League for season 2004/2005 and Simpson feels the European run has benefited the game in Scotland.

He insisted: “That has boosted Scottish football more than anything for a long, long time and it needed that boost.

“They have produced some great results away from home especially against some high-class teams.

“Liverpool, Blackburn, Stuttgart and Celta Vigo are all crack teams. It just shows what they are made of and it would be so much better if they could keep it going.”