Post by leicesterlass on Oct 25, 2006 8:21:49 GMT -1
O'Neill's praise for 'magnificent' city
Martin O'Neill said he was "delighted'' to have left his former club with the win. "It was a really welcoming evening,'' he said.
"It was very nice of people to make me so welcome, but, more importantly, they went about their own business the minute the whistle went. They got behind their team."
And asked about the two penalties his side were awarded, O'Neill replied: "We had a penalty against Fulham on Saturday which looked quite generous, but when I watched the video I saw that five minutes before then we had a stonewall one where their player stuffed it up his jumper.
"At this minute the decisions, in terms of generous penalties, look as if they favour us.
"In two months time, when the second and third decisions go against us . . ."
O'Neill added: ''Someone said to me after the game that 'your name is on the cup' and I've heard that so often before.
''I remember playing for Nottingham Forest when we beat Manchester City in a big round and everyone said 'your name is on the cup' then - and we got beaten in the next round.
''That's what happens. I am delighted to still be in the competition and we will see what develops. We could get dumped out in the next round, dead easily.
"I thought Leicester were magnificent. We started very brightly, got the goal, and played some flowing football.
''I thought if we could get a second goal, it might be a decent evening for us. It was never to be and I should have realised you don't get things too easy in this game.
''Leicester came roaring back and, over the 90 minutes of normal time, I would have said they deserved to be level.
''I didn't want it to go to penalties because that is a lottery and we strived and strived to get the goal and eventually we did through Gabby (Gabriel Agbonlahor) so I'm delighted to have won, but it was a long evening.''
Martin O'Neill said he was "delighted'' to have left his former club with the win. "It was a really welcoming evening,'' he said.
"It was very nice of people to make me so welcome, but, more importantly, they went about their own business the minute the whistle went. They got behind their team."
And asked about the two penalties his side were awarded, O'Neill replied: "We had a penalty against Fulham on Saturday which looked quite generous, but when I watched the video I saw that five minutes before then we had a stonewall one where their player stuffed it up his jumper.
"At this minute the decisions, in terms of generous penalties, look as if they favour us.
"In two months time, when the second and third decisions go against us . . ."
O'Neill added: ''Someone said to me after the game that 'your name is on the cup' and I've heard that so often before.
''I remember playing for Nottingham Forest when we beat Manchester City in a big round and everyone said 'your name is on the cup' then - and we got beaten in the next round.
''That's what happens. I am delighted to still be in the competition and we will see what develops. We could get dumped out in the next round, dead easily.
"I thought Leicester were magnificent. We started very brightly, got the goal, and played some flowing football.
''I thought if we could get a second goal, it might be a decent evening for us. It was never to be and I should have realised you don't get things too easy in this game.
''Leicester came roaring back and, over the 90 minutes of normal time, I would have said they deserved to be level.
''I didn't want it to go to penalties because that is a lottery and we strived and strived to get the goal and eventually we did through Gabby (Gabriel Agbonlahor) so I'm delighted to have won, but it was a long evening.''