'Severity' of Schmeichel injuries surprises O'Neill

Martin O'Neill says goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has been "really terrific" at times this season [SNS] Martin O'Neill has admitted he is "surprised at the severity" of Kasper Schmeichel's shoulder problems after the Celtic goalkeeper announced he may have played his last game. The 39-year-old Dane requires two operations and faces up to a year of recovery, with his contract at Celtic up at the end of this season. "I must admit I was surprised at the severity of it," interim manager O'Neill said.

"I know that he was having injections to play some of the games. So disappointed to hear the news, I must admit. "We've all done this.

I've been guilty of that myself a hundred-odd years ago, trying to play through an injury to play in a European Cup final [with Nottingham Forest]. " Schmeichel last played on 22 February and announced his prognosis during an interview on CBS Sports Golazo. And O'Neill commented: "If that was the first announcement, obviously I would've preferred to have heard it myself.

"I thought he was really terrific in my first spell here [this season], the six or seven weeks that I was involved. He made some big, big saves in games. " Viljamo Sinisalo, the 24-year-old Finland international, has deputised in recent weeks.