O'Neill gets focus back on the pitch

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has claimed that he will not be using the feud with the Scottish Premier League to motivate his players for the rest of the season.

The sparring still continues, with the club refusing to apologise for their allegations of bias against them after the final Old Firm game of the season was arranged just two days after they return from Portugal for their UEFA Cup semi-final date with Boavista.

But with the double still within their sights, the Celtic boss insists that it would be inappropriate to use recent events to spark his players into life.

O’Neill said: “I don’t think that whole situation should have anything to do with motivation at all.

“I’m not bothered – we are going to get on with the fixture and try to do our best.

“Hearts will be a hard one, we go to Boavista on Thursday which will be incredibly difficult and then travel to Rangers a couple of days later which is again tough.

“Personally speaking, since we’re coming down to the wire now, all the games will be difficult and we will need a bit of luck.

“Rangers were allowed to change their fixture and that was straight-forward. This is the semi-final of the UEFA Cup and we are coming back to play.

“Rangers still have to go to Hearts and Dundee so I think there will be points dropped, but we can’t let it slip.

“That’s what I based my comments on – there’s nothing outrageous with it.

“The semi-final of the UEFA Cup is really a big game for the players so I don’t think they can be thinking about anything else.

“You shouldn’t be having to use any of this as motivation at all. I don’t believe in it and it’s not appropriate.”

Momo Sylla revealed that the players are determined not to let the situation affect them – but he admits that extra-time against Boavista on Thursday night would be a problem.

“You need more days off before the next game,” he said. “But everybody knows just how big the game against Rangers is.

“This is for the league and we need to play it on the Sunday, but you need to do your job if you want to win this league.

“Every game is difficult and if we can win against Boavista then the confidence will be high. We could play to extra time which could be a bigger problem.”

But O’Neill did give the players two days off at the start of the week and he believes that has refreshed them for the crucial run-in.

“They appreciated the couple of days off and at least it gave them a couple of days away,” he added. “The training has been good and they know how important this week is.”

Meanwhile, much-improved star Bobo Balde would be Sylla’s choice for Celtic player of the season.

He believes that Henrik Larsson, John Hartson and Joos Valgaeren are in the running, but that the giant defender just shades it from his high-profile team-mates.

Sylla said: “For me, Henrik Larsson and John Hartson have done very well in the league and the UEFA Cup.

““Valgaeren and Bobo have also been great so it is very difficult to choose between those players.

“Bobo is perhaps the most improved player from when he came here from France and maybe that should swing it his way.”