O'Neill finds life worth living in Europe

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill insisted yesterday that just being in the Champions League for the first time in their history was "amazing".

The Parkhead boss is just glad to be back among European football's elite - Celtic won the European Cup in 1967 - and claimed he would not have minded starting Group E with three away games against Rosenborg, Juventus and Porto.

O'Neill, known for his leap into the air celebration, was finding it difficult to keep his own feet on the ground yesterday. He even declared "life is worth living" on the eve of tonight's opener against Rosenborg at Parkhead and cannot wait to rub shoulders with the giants of Europe.

O'Neill said: "I think Juventus will be favourites in the group, but I'm really pleased to be in it. Whatever order they came out of the draw, I wouldn't have minded. If I started off with three away games it wouldn't have worried me."

"Just to know that we have six opportunities and we have to try and make the most of it. The first one's here at home. That's just the way the fixtures have fallen and we'll go for it."

"Naturally it's a step up and we'll deal with it the best we possibly can and probably find out soon enough how good we are."

"If you'd have told me that we would we be having this conversation at this stage, I would have been delighted to have been in this position by winning the championship."

"There's a great buzz. You see the people working around the ground now getting the boards up and the TV cameras in place and it's very, very exciting."

"It's a beautiful morning and life is worth living. I'm saying that, but don't ask me tomorrow night at 10 o'clock - but at the moment it's worth living."

O'Neill admits his side do not have the experience of their three opponents, but he has described his side as the "unknown quantity" and hopes they can spring a surprise or two."

While Juventus are favourites to go through, O'Neill insists Rosenborg and Porto will all fancy their chances of joining them in the next group stages.

Celtic face daunting matches with the Italian giants and Portuguese outfit, but the Norwegians are also experienced having qualified for the group stages for the last seven years.

O'Neill said: "I know Rosenborg a fair bit, but I've had them watched every single time since the draw has been made and I've had videos of the games so we're well prepared.

"Juventus are massive favourites in our group, but I think the other three sides will feel for whatever reason that they've got a chance of qualifying."

"Rosenborg's record in the Champions League is second to none because they have been there every single year so they have plenty of experience."

"That is the same with Porto who have a good record as well and I believe we are a bit of an unknown quantity. I think that experience has to help them sometime in the long run - they might just know when to go for the jugular or when not to."

"But I won't be too bothered about it - it is an experience anyway and we'll go for it."

O'Neill has promised to throw everything at the Norwegians tonight with goal difference not as vital in the group stages.

He added: "It's a different format now to the two-legged affair we were involved in with Ajax and it's just three points for a win so we'll go to win the game." O'Neill admitted he would settle for 10 points from the group and predicts that would be good enough to see his side through to the next group stages.

And the Irishman insists his players are as eager as he is to get going tonight. "They are ready for the game," said O'Neill.

"They have been since the final whistle went against Dunfermline on Saturday. "Three wins and a draw from six games, I'll be happy. You can give them to me now and I'll walk away and have a cigarette."

O'Neill's only worry is Alan Thompson, who hobbled off in the weekend's victory over Dunfermline with an ankle injury. But he revealed the midfielder took part in training yesterday morning and looked set to join Robert Douglas and Johan Mjallby in the squad.