Martin O'Neill has hinted at a slight change in style as he outlined his Celtic tactical plan for the season ahead.
During both of the 74-year-old's interim tenures, his side were very adept at getting results. However, a lot of them were ground out and performances and the style of play were questioned at times.
Some wondered if that was sustainable and, even though it proved to be, O'Neill is considering some slight tweaks for the season ahead.
He admitted he is looking for a balance between the style his Celtic teams of the 2000s and a more modern approach.
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The Celtic boss said: "What I’d like to try and do this season is, as I have said to you about managing in a different fashion to what I used to do years ago, I think I can marry the both in many aspects.
"By that, I mean I thought the side 25 years ago played very quickly, played with a dash, and we had a lot of very fine players. I think we can marry the both. I think when we have possession of the ball, it’s great to keep it, but I’d like us to keep it for a purpose. There’s always a purpose for trying to break down defences."
When it was suggested it seems he already has a plan, he went on: "I think these are the things, you’ve got plans. There’s that great one, 'everybody’s got a plan until somebody hits you in the mouth', or something like that. Mike Tyson said that.
"Pre-season gives you all these thoughts of 'we could change little things here and there', which I think we probably can do and I think the players can take to it. But the best way to do it, the best way to make these little subtle changes, I'm hoping they'll be subtle, is actually through preseason. It’s working with the players every single day. Even though we had a rush of games last season, like four including European games, four games in eight or nine days, you think you never get a chance to do any of that. Pre-season will give you that."
