Schmeichel shunned the Hoops' Scottish Cup semi-final to watch Man City vs Arsenal instead at the Etihad
18:00, 20 Apr 2026
Crocked Kasper Schmeichel
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Crocked Kasper Schmeichel(Image: PA)
Martin O'Neill says Tomas Cvancara must buck up his ideas to win back his place at Celtic.
The towering Czech has been a regular since arriving in January but was surprisingly dumped from the squad for Sunday's Hampden win over St Mirren. Misfiring Borussia Monchengladbach loanee Cvancara has managed just two goals in 13 appearances so far for the Hoops.
And O’Neill appears to be running out of patience with the bombed-out striker - who has now slipped behind fringe man Junior Adamu in the pecking order.
The interim Parkhead boss said: “We did a bit of rotating for the semi-final.
"It wasn’t phenomenal rotating but I felt Junior has trained really, really strongly.
"So that’s it. Listen, people have to fight for positions in the team.”
Cvancara wasn’t even in the stands as Celts eventually swept St Mirren aside 6-2 after extra-time - with super-sub Kelechi Iheanacho netting a deadly brace.
Veteran keeper Kasper Schmeichel was absent too, instead pitching up at the Etihad Stadium for Manchester City’s title clash with Arsenal.
The Dane, 39, is fighting to save his career after suffering a serious shoulder injury and has already undergone the first of two planned operations.
He was also mysteriously missing from Celtic's official squad list in the SFA's matchday programme.
And while he has almost certainly played his last game for the club, O’Neill confirmed he remains under contract until the summer - rubbishing talk of an early exit.
Bombed out Tomas Cvancara
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Bombed out Tomas Cvancara(Image: SNS Group)
O'Neill said: “He is still contracted to the club, yes.
"There are some medical decisions to be made on whether he’s to get this operation.
"I will know more about that in the middle of the week.
"But I have been speaking to the medical staff who were telling me he was going to see a specialist.
"He may even have done that by now as that was last midweek.
"But I don’t know whether the specialist wants to do this operation or not.
"That was the last news I got but I’ll know more this midweek.”
Meanwhile, O’Neill is hoping Celtic’s semi-final win can act as the launchpad for a late title surge.
The defending champions still have ground to make up on Hearts and Rangers with five league games remaining.
O’Neill is relishing the prospect of going head-to-head with old lieutenant Neil Lennon in the May 23 Hampden showpiece against Dunfermline.
But he insists the Scottish Cup Final will now be parked, with his side fully focused on the push for five-in-a-row.
He added: “Having the cup final ahead of us should give us a boost. We can park it to the side for now but it’s something to look forward to.
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“The week of the cup final will be something to look forward to. But we’ll park it for now and I’m sure Lenny will be saying the same thing to his players as they try to get into the play-offs and win promotion.
“From what I see, that situation always seems to suit the team in the Premiership, doesn’t it.
“But I just hope he’s got another 35 games to go between now and the cup final to tire his team out!”