Henrik Larsson on telling O’Neill he was leaving Celtic

After seven hugely successful seasons in Glasgow, the Swedish striker felt the time was right to test himself in a new environment, despite acknowledging how hard it was to contemplate leaving the club where he had become a legend.

Outside Scotland, questions lingered over whether he could replicate his form at a higher level, something that ultimately influenced his decision.

Larsson seized the opportunity to join Barcelona, where he went on to lift the Champions League, before enjoying a productive short spell at Manchester United under Alex Ferguson.

With his contract nearing its conclusion, he opted to weigh up fresh challenges rather than extend his stay.

Looking back, Larsson believes O’Neill and the Celtic support understood and respected his choice to seek a new chapter in his career.

Speaking via Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast, Larsson said: “I felt that after seven years, it was time. If you do not score in two games – ‘it is not the same old Larsson anymore.’

“I had a meeting with the gaffer because I decided in the summer that I would run my contract out. I told the gaffer and the fans. He was okay because I said ‘I just want to get out while I’m still ahead’, and he said ‘okay, that’s fair enough’. He was always good for me, but I was good for him aswell.

“I wanted as good an ending as possible. I told the supporters early aswell, I will not extend my contract. I tried to do that in order to be transparent and so nobody was kept in the dark. The time was right.”

Larsson continued: “I had a break from the Swedish national team after the 2002 World Cup but the 2004 Euros were coming up. And I started to feel like it was time to go back.

“The reason was because Jordan, would ask ‘Daddy, why are you always away?’ That makes you feel like going home. Things were okay with the national team, but I was getting a little bit of hassle from the Swedish media when things were not going the way they wanted.

“I thought I was getting a little bit older and I might take some time to travel when I’m not playing games, and let my body recuperate. I didn’t want to have anything ready before the Euros. There was a lot of clubs interested when you could start talking in January. I was advertising in the papers I wanted to move to a warmer country.

“I had no dream Barcelona would come in for me, maybe a lesser team in midtable or something.”

If you haven’t seen it yet, watch Henrik putting in another brilliant performance, this time on the Stick to Football podcast below…

Conor Spence

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