Source: Daily_Mail
McLeish v O'Neill: Best of enemies reunite - the Old Firm foes meet again in Birmingham
Respect: Alex McLeish[LNB]Birmingham boss Alex McLeish led Rangers from 2001 to 2006 IT'S a unique position to be a manager of the Old Firm and there's only one other person in the world who knows what you are going through.[LNB] One of Martin's outstanding characteristics is the strength of his dressing room. He generates respect within every dressing room he has been in.[LNB] Funnily enough, I bumped into him on the train when we were both travelling to London. I felt after that it was a shame that we had not socialised more. He's very sharp, very funny and very clever. I can imagine he would make a great friend.[LNB] I would think also that with John Robertson and Steve Walford alongside him in that Villa dressing room, they would have a comeback for anything any of their players wanted to say to them.[LNB] Let's face it, Martin and Robbo won the European Cup with Nottingham Forest. Twice. You can't put many better medals on the table than that.[LNB] I bumped into him at a tribute dinner to Sir Alex Ferguson and he was just the same, good fun.[LNB] On that final day in 2005 when we pipped Celtic to the title, it was probably my best day in the game. I'd like to say I wouldn't have wanted it to be at Martin's expense. But I can't. And do you know what? If the boot was on the other foot, he'd say exactly the same.[LNB] Character: Martin O'Neill[LNB]Villa boss Martin O'Neill led Celtic from 2000 to 2005WE HAVE had a lot of battles against one another. I have an immense regard for him. Alex was a formidable foe. And he knows his football. He is a football man.[LNB] I didn't play against him. He spent all of his career in Scotland. He gave up the Scotland job to move down here. That is not a decision you take lightly, particularly as he had, from a distance, done pretty well.[LNB] It takes a brave man to head into the unknown and to try to immerse yourself in a league that you have no experience of. But he wanted to test himself and it looks like it has done him no harm whatsoever.[LNB] I'm sure that trust with his backroom team has helped, too. It helps having familiar faces around you.[LNB] Last year, I thought he did brilliantly. Was it an understated achievement bringing Birmingham back into the Premier League? Yes, I think it was, especially considering the circumstances.[LNB] Any side who are relegated from the Premier League face massive upheaval.[LNB] Then to pull all of that around in a 46-game season was a really great effort. He had to face all sorts of problems and to keep your focus while everything is swirling around you is a difficult job to pull off.[LNB] He had an open invitation to visit me at Celtic Park, but I think he realised he'd get the same kind of welcome as the one I would have received at Ibrox! [LNB] [LNB] Explore more:People:John Robertson, Alex Ferguson, Alex McLeish, Martin O'NeillPlaces:London, Scotland, Celtic Park
