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Extraordinary moment Martin O’Neill shuts down female reporter in ‘patronising’ and ‘condescending’ post-match interview after Europa League defeat

Martin O'Neill has come under fire for his 'condescending' response to a female TV reporter after he refused to explain his team selection following Celtic's 3-1 loss in the Europa League.

Published: Friday, 18 September 2026 at 7:19 AM
Extraordinary moment Martin O’Neill shuts down female reporter in ‘patronising’ and ‘condescending’ post-match interview after Europa League defeat
Key Things to Know
  • Celtic suffered a 3-1 defeat against Hungarian side Ferencvaros in their Europa League opener.
  • Manager Martin O'Neill refused to explain his team selection to TNT Sports reporter Connie McLaughlin.
  • O'Neill faced social media criticism from fans who described his interview tone as patronizing.
The Story in 60 Seconds

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has faced criticism following a post-match interview with TNT Sports reporter Connie McLaughlin after Celtic's 3-1 defeat to Ferencvaros in the Europa League. O'Neill refused to explain his team selection, which included four changes from the previous match, telling McLaughlin that his job was not to explain every situation to her. He stated he would instead address the fans directly through Celtic TV.

Social media users criticized O'Neill's tone as patronizing and condescending, with some viewers initially mishearing him call the reporter "honey" instead of "Connie." McLaughlin later clarified on Instagram that he had used her actual name. O'Neill subsequently explained his team selection on Celtic TV, stating that certain players deserved an opportunity to start.

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