Celtic Prepares for Scottish Cup Clash Against Auchinleck Talbot

Scottish Cup: Auchinleck Talbot vs Celtic

Venue: Rugby Park, Kilmarnock Date: Sunday, 18 January Time: 17:30 GMT

Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio Scotland Extra & Sounds, live text commentary on the BBC Sport website & app, highlights on BBC One Scotland & iPlayer from 22:30

Martin O'Neill is optimistic about adding new players to his Celtic squad ahead of next weekend's Scottish Premiership match against league leaders Hearts. So far in January, Celtic has secured full-back Julian Araujo on loan from Bournemouth.

However, O'Neill downplayed the possibility of signing West Ham forward Callum Wilson, who has been capped by England. He remarked, "I hadn’t thought about that. He’s a very fine player, but I understood he was headed elsewhere anyway." He added, "We are in search of those elusive goalscorers, but we’re not the only team looking."

O'Neill suggested that the phrase "we are making progress" might become his favorite when discussing transfers, indicating that the club is close to making additional signings. "Remarkably, I think we are; we’re definitely a bit closer. I dread these interviews, but I can’t wait until February 2 or 3, as it might change the narrative," he stated. He emphasized the importance of recruiting new players, noting, "It’s absolutely essential. We can’t alter the squad for the Bologna game on Thursday, but I hope to have some new faces in before the match against Hearts."

Reflecting on his experiences in the Scottish Cup during his previous tenure at Celtic, O'Neill expressed a desire to return to Hampden for this season's final. His last match in charge from 2000 to 2005 was a 1-0 victory over Dundee United in the 2005 Scottish Cup final. He recalled, "It would be terrific to finish my current stint back at Hampden. That win came just a week after we missed out on the SPL title, as Rangers edged us on the final day of the season."

O'Neill addressed the relocation of the match from Auchinleck Talbot's Beechwood Park to Kilmarnock's Rugby Park, a familiar venue for Celtic. "If I weren’t the manager of Celtic, I’d be disappointed, but as their manager, I’m quite pleased. We need to perform better than we did the other night on the plastic surface. I’m looking forward to the game immensely. Talbot has some very decent attributes and is a top-quality junior side; this isn't a team of under-11s. Their journey to this point has been a brilliant effort."

Celtic Prepares for Scottish Cup Clash Against Auchinleck Talbot

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