Post by Taxigirl on Apr 10, 2004 10:18:23 GMT
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/3615133.stm
Celtic boss Martin O'Neill will not be resting players for the Scottish Cup semi final with Livingston.
The runaway league leaders have had a long season and travel to Villarreal in the Uefa Cup on Wednesday.
"If this fixture had been in the league then there's no doubt that the youth team would have been playing," explained O'Neill.
Liam Miller may start at Hampden on Sunday as he is likely to replace the suspended Alan Thompson in Spain.
O'Neill is also glad his players will not be coming face-to-face with David Fernandez.
The Spanish striker is currently on loan at Livingston but there was a "gentleman's agreement" between O'Neill and former Celtic boss David Hay that he would not play.
The Northern Irishman is relieved by that news as he fears Fernandez could have emulated Fernando Morientes.
The Spanish international helped his loan club Monaco dump his employees Real Madrid out of the Champions League this week.
O'Neill said: "I am not in agreement with the rule loaning players out to other SPL clubs.
"I'm sure he wouldn't relish coming back here in front of 60,000 people if he had banged three or four goals in.
"There has been a gentlemen's agreement that he wouldn't play against us and especially as we contributing to his wages we don't want him to knock us out.
"I wouldn't have signed him in the first place if he didn't have ability.
"So take all those things into consideration, and you can add Morientes into the equation, we are happy he is out."
Celtic boss Martin O'Neill will not be resting players for the Scottish Cup semi final with Livingston.
The runaway league leaders have had a long season and travel to Villarreal in the Uefa Cup on Wednesday.
"If this fixture had been in the league then there's no doubt that the youth team would have been playing," explained O'Neill.
Liam Miller may start at Hampden on Sunday as he is likely to replace the suspended Alan Thompson in Spain.
O'Neill is also glad his players will not be coming face-to-face with David Fernandez.
The Spanish striker is currently on loan at Livingston but there was a "gentleman's agreement" between O'Neill and former Celtic boss David Hay that he would not play.
The Northern Irishman is relieved by that news as he fears Fernandez could have emulated Fernando Morientes.
The Spanish international helped his loan club Monaco dump his employees Real Madrid out of the Champions League this week.
O'Neill said: "I am not in agreement with the rule loaning players out to other SPL clubs.
"I'm sure he wouldn't relish coming back here in front of 60,000 people if he had banged three or four goals in.
"There has been a gentlemen's agreement that he wouldn't play against us and especially as we contributing to his wages we don't want him to knock us out.
"I wouldn't have signed him in the first place if he didn't have ability.
"So take all those things into consideration, and you can add Morientes into the equation, we are happy he is out."