The Christmas markets dotted around Rotterdam city centre have been doing a roaring trade over these past few days as the festive season edges ever closer.
It may be another few weeks until the man in the big red suit makes his appearance, but it was Martin O’Neill who delivered a glorious parting gift to the Celtic supporters here in Holland last night.
O’Neill rolled back the years and led Celtic to a Europa League victory over Feyenoord which would have echoed all the way from the docks of Rotterdam back to the Gallowgate in Glasgow.
Celtic came from a goal down to claim a priceless three points thanks to goals from Yang Hyun-jun, Reo Hatate and Benjamin Nygren.
It marked the first time they have won a match away from home in Europe in four years, a run of 15 games going all the way back to when Ange Postecoglou’s side beat Ferencvaros in 2021.
Suddenly, a European campaign which had looked dead and buried now has a pulse once again. With games to come against Roma, Bologna and FC Utrecht, Celtic still have a puncher’s chance of progressing.
Frontman Ayase Ueda slid home following a click counter to put the hosts in front in Rotterdam
Yang Hyun-Jun’s fine volley at the back post hauled Celtic back into the contest
Reo Hatate put the visitors in front after Daizen Maeda forced a mistake from the goalkeeper
It will be Wilfried Nancy who will be in the dugout by the time those matches come around, with the Frenchman set to take over from O’Neill early next week following the game at Hibs on Sunday.
But as O’Neill’s name rang out around De Kuip at full-time, this felt like a blast from the past. Like you had been transported back in time to when these kind of nights were a regular feature in his first spell.
This was Celtic’s best performance in Europe this season by quite a distance. In terms of great European nights under O’Neill, fans will remember this fondly given how unexpected it was.
Revered as one of the loudest and most hostile arenas anywhere in Europe, the atmosphere inside De Kuip wasn’t quite as raucous as normal prior to kick-off.
Feyenoord had been hit with a partial stadium closure as part of UEFA sanctions following a pyro display by their ultras in a recent match against Panathinaikos.
The attendance was down by almost 10,000 fans as a result, with the Gerard Meijer Tribune closed in its entirety, but the Celtic fans perched high in the opposite stand did their best to make themselves heard.
O’Neill had spoken in the build-up about how Celtic’s squad would need a major rebuild if the club are to start challenging in Europe once again.
Looking at the teamsheet, you could understand where he was coming from. Of all Celtic’s summer signings, only Kieran Tierney was in the starting line-up.
Interim boss Martin O’Neill was delighted to see his players put in an outstanding display
Despite an outlay of £4.5million to sign him, Michel-Ange Balikwisha still can’t get into the team, with Luke McCowan and Yang picked ahead of him on the wings either side of lone striker Daizen Maeda.
Celtic started the match reasonably well and it was McCowan who had a great chance to open the scoring but he hit the bar from only a yard out after Maeda had won a flick-on from a corner.
While many Celtic fans still mourn the loss of a certain Japanese striker back in January, Feyenoord have their own predatory marksman from the Far East.
Ayase Ueda came into this match with 13 goals in 18 matches and it was the 27-year-old Japanese front man who fired his team in front on 11 minutes.
A straight ball through the middle of the Celtic defence caused all kinds of problems. Feyenoord skipper Sem Steijn made a good run from midfield and squared the ball for Ueda.
He slotted a composed finish past Kasper Schmeichel for 1-0 and a series of flares and fireworks were let off above the stadium. Doubtless UEFA will take a dim view of that.
There was bound to be a feeling of trepidation among the Celtic fans given what happened last time out against Midtjylland.
The concession of the opening goal against the Danes led to a first-half capitulation which saw them trail 3-0 by half-time.
Kasper Schmeichel pulled off an important save in the first half to keep the scores level
But as the rain swirled around this old tub of a stadium, Celtic began to grow into the match. It was becoming clear that Feyenoord were no great shakes.
Having won only once in their last five matches coming into this clash, questions are beginning to be asked of Robin van Persie despite his status as a club legend.
Celtic equalised just after the half-hour mark and it came from a lovely, flowing team move. McCowan played a great ball to Hatate and he stood it up to the back post.
In came Yang to meet it first time and send the ball into the net beyond Feyenoord keeper Timon Wellenreuther for 1-1.
Schmeichel made a good save to deny Ueda a second goal after a rapid counter-attack from the home side had cut Celtic wide open.
But it was clear this is far from a vintage Feyenoord side. They were there for the taking — and Celtic duly took the lead just a couple of minutes before half-time.
Maeda made a pest of himself and refused to give up in his efforts to press and harass Wellenreuther. The Feyenoord keeper was closed down and his clearance fell to Hatate and, whilst the finish was far from easy, he showed excellent technique to meet it first time and guide the ball into an empty net.
The visitors were good value for their lead as the teams went in at half-time. After steering Celtic to a famous win against Ajax in Amsterdam in 2001, O’Neill was well on his way to making it a Dutch double in Rotterdam.
Benjamin Nygren came off the bench to power in the goal which sealed the three points
Van Persie played under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and was a key figure as United won the Premier League title in the great man’s final season in 2013.
Few would have blamed Van Persie had he given his players a blast of the famous Fergie hairdryer treatment at half-time, such was the paucity of their performance.
There was no urgency to Feyenoord at all, no sense of realisation that they were losing the game. Without their most vocal ultras, there was a flatness to the home side.
Indeed, the loudest noise came when Celtic started knocking the ball around as if they were in a training session.
During a sustained period of possession, they made Feyenoord look like mannequins. That was the cue for a mass outpouring of jeers from a frustrated home crowd.
Gaoussou Diarra almost equalised but his header came back off the bar as Van Persie’s side tried to rouse themselves.
But Celtic put the matter beyond doubt when substitute Nygren crashed one in off the underside of the crossbar with only eight minutes remaining.
Feyenoord were a rabble. Jeered off at full-time, this result will only pile more pressure on Van Persie. How different the picture looks for O’Neill.
He will ride off into the sunset after this weekend. This was one hell of a last hurrah. It was a reminder of what Celtic could and should be in Europe. Nancy would do well to take note.
