Image source, SNS
ByScott Mullen
BBC Sport Scotland
In the unfastened aerial of the Raiffeisen Arena, with bedlam each around, determination was obscurity to fell for Celtic oregon Martin O'Neill.
The Scottish champions had endured 1 of their darkest nights successful their European history.
After going retired to Kairat Almaty connected penalties past twelvemonth astatine this signifier of the Champions League play-offs, that is saying something.
Four goals up connected aggregate against LASK, O'Neill's Celtic someway conspired to implode successful a 2nd fractional with small motion of a effect connected the mode to a 5-4 aggregate loss.
There was nary hiding place, and the Celtic manager was frank erstwhile enactment successful the spotlight astatine full-time.
"I'm liable for this one," helium said.
"Without a doubt. Naturally it took maine a agelong clip to get implicit the Uefa Cup last successful 2003 but this was majorly disappointing.
"In the discourse of things, 1 was a last which it would person been terrific to win, this was a qualifying crippled which we should person been capable to get through.
"We cognize that we are a cardinal miles from the finished article. That's perfectly true. I deliberation we thought that anyway."
O'Neill was not successful complaint for that decision successful Kazakhstan a twelvemonth agone arsenic it triggered the commencement of the extremity for Brendan Rodgers' 2nd spell astatine Celtic Park.
The existent Parkhead brag helped dependable Celtic's vessel past word pursuing Rodgers' exit and again pursuing the Wilfried Nancy saga to usher them to different league rubric and a Scottish Cup.
This play appeared to get disconnected to a prosperous commencement until the extortion began to cave successful implicit successful Austria.
Away from the earthy symptom of stumbling successful specified a stark way, the aftermath could beryllium telling for Celtic who present person to not lone prime themselves up, but decorativeness disconnected a transportation model without the hefty windfall which would person blown successful with the Champions League.
"The qualification for the Champions League is major, it's large successful each aspect," said O'Neill.
"Financially, for prestige, but we person to prime ourselves up. That's my work again to bash that.
"I deliberation I said past week that if you could suffice for the Champions League determination would beryllium players wanting to travel connected that basis.
"That's not going to beryllium the lawsuit but we'll see. Tonight we came up good and genuinely short, peculiarly successful the 2nd half."
Celtic skipper Callum McGregor tells Amazon Prime: "We got what we deserved. We were passive each night.
"We looked frightened to spell and triumph the game.
"I didn't deliberation we were that bully successful the archetypal limb either. We scored astatine bully times and got distant with it.
"We person to suck it up. We apologise to our supporters and the nine due to the fact that there's nary mode we should suffer that game.
"It's arsenic overmuch connected the players arsenic everyone else. You can't look for excuses elsewhere.
"You'll present spot what radical are made of."
"When you play similar that you can't person immoderate excuses whatsoever.
"When you spell 1-0 up successful the crippled and it inactive doesn't settee you, you can't person immoderate excuse and that's connected us.
"You autumn astatine a large hurdle and these questions [on whether the squad are ready] are going to beryllium asked. You can't suffer by that borderline past look for excuses elsewhere.
"This is what it's similar to play astatine Celtic. You person to bounce back, you person to amusement a absorption and that's what Celtic are each about."
Former Celtic skipper Scott Brown connected BBC Radio Scotland: "It was a fantastic start, you spell 1-0 up, but that seems similar everlastingly ago. Now they've crashed retired the Champions League and conceded 5 goals.
"LASK outran Celtic successful a mates of areas, the 2 up beforehand were strong, coagulated and consenting runners.
"LASK merit to spell done with that performance. I consciousness for the lads due to the fact that I've been successful that concern arsenic well."
Former Celtic manager Neil Lennon connected Amazon Prime: "It looked to maine arsenic if Celtic were exhausted. Fragile successful duels. It lone looked similar determination would beryllium 1 winner.
"Huge recognition to LASK.
"They battered Celtic tonight, physically and connected the shot side. It could person been more."
Former Celtic midfielder Stiliyan Petrov: "Everyone [is to blame].
"They are each successful it together. A large nine similar Celtic should beryllium capable to clasp that out."
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