I was 35 but I still wanted to play. I told Martin if I wasn’t in his plans I’d move.. He said he’d give me a chance & after that everything was perfect
Veteran’s heart-to-heart with boss convinced him to stay in Paradise
cocompletely true I spoke to him. I dididn’t want to stay on the bench for ththe rest of my career. I was 35 years olold and I was still in good form phphysically and mentally.
“But I was not in Martin’s plan. I sasaid, ‘If I am not in your plans, I will move.m I want tot go where I can play’. I hhad been talkingtal to him about my sisituation.ituation. I aasked if I was in his ththinking.hinking. He ssaid, ‘I don’t know’.
“I didn’t wanwant to move but I needed a chance. I said I would like a chance. HHe said, ‘Okay I’ll give you a chance’. WWhat was I going to do if I had mmoved? No ididea. But it was possible if I wasn’t happy.hap
“After that discussion everything ththathat happened was absolutely perfect ffor him and mme. It was an important meeting.meeting The most important of my Celtic time.
“It helped I was an experiencedexp guy and could say what I wanted. He acceptedac that. If you are younger and less experienced, it’s not as easy to go and see the gaffer and have such a straight discussion.
“But I was 35 and we tried to find a solution because I didn’t want to make trouble and he didn’t want my career to have a bad finish. With intelligent people, you can make it work.”
It did work. And how. Moravcik didn’t just win O’Neill over. He won things for him. A Treble in the first season. Another title in the following campaign.
From a bit-part player, the veteran turned into a talisman and there was nothing but mutual respect between player and manager from that meeting onwards which lasts to this day.
Moravcik said: “We had a fantastic relationship afterwards. He appreciated what I did for him and him for me.
“My role in the team was important. I was like a joker. If the team needed someone like me, I would get an opportunity.
“I played a lot and it was a special role. If Martin could see he needed my football as an attacking midfield player he’d play me.
“You need a big squad and it’s important. Martin was a clever gaffer and knew he needed good players on the bench who could do something immediately.
“If you are a coach, you need a second plan if the team isn’t working well to change the game.
“Martin thought I was perfect for this role and I was happy with this. Playing every game at 35 years of age was maybe not possible and Martin would be clever with me.
“Even if I didn’t play in a game, the next day when he asked the players to do something 10 times, he would ask me to do five. He’d say, ‘Lubo is old, he needs a rest’.”
Moravcik would leave before O’Neill. At the end of 2001/02 and approaching 37, it was time up. He was broken at leaving. He knew he had to but it didn’t ease the pain.
He was given a phenomenal send-off by the fans and, although his body isn’t in Glasgow much any more, a section of his heart will never leave.
He said: “I made a mistake because I should have stayed one year more as we got to the UEFA Cup Final.
“It was very tough to leave. I don’t want to say it but I almost cried. Very close. Emotions were big. When you see 60,000 people sing your name it’s emotional but football is like that.
“One day you finish, one day you start. One day you are born, one day you die. It’s life.
“But if I am honest you never really leave. Celtic is part of you forever. It’s a good feeling when I come back to Glasgow. It’s like I am coming back to my home, or my second home. Nitra is the town of my heart. Glasgow is next.
“It is nice to have people come up and speak with you, even all this time after not playing. I don’t go often but when I do it’s fantastic.”
I should have stayed one more year as we got the UEFA Cup Final LUBO MORAVCIK ON THE MISTIMING OF HIS EXIT