Former footballer Stan Collymore said he tried to join Celtic late in his career.
Former Premier League footballer Stan Collymore has told The Mirror he tried to join Celtic late in his career.
Collymore explained that he wanted to follow Leicester City boss Martin O’Neill to Celtic in 2000, because he enjoyed playing under the manager so much.
He also admits he saw Celtic as a club where he felt he could win titles easily, and that was also part of the attraction.
Radio presenter and former player Stan Collymore
Collymore was making his point as part of a column about Mesut Ozil’s recent quotes about how he would only sign a new Arsenal contract if manager Arsene Wenger is offered a new deal.
He said: “When I went to Leicester, Martin O’Neill was a massive factor and when he left and Peter Taylor came in I never felt the same.
“I actually spoke to Martin to see if there was an opportunity to follow him to Celtic, so it would be remiss of me to castigate Ozil for wanting to play for the Frenchman.
“But I knew I’d win trophies at Celtic and Ozil knows that if Arsenal stick with Wenger for the next two years then they, nor he, have a cat in hell’s chance of winning the Premier League.”
Martin O’Neill during his time at Celtic
O’Neill did not take up the option, and Collymore signed for Bradford City a few months later on a free transfer.
He played for the Bantams only eight times, before being sold to Spanish club Real Oviedo, and making the surprise decision to retire at only 30.
Collymore never did win a league title, coming closest when he helped Nottingham Forest to second place in the old Division One in 1993/94. They then went onto finish third in the Premier League.
O’Neill did not suffer for not signing the controversial striker, as he led Celtic to winning a domestic treble in his very first season in charge.
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