Celtic fans are still struggling to move on from their painful 3–0 defeat to Rangers, with the disappointment from the Old Firm clash continuing to dominate discussions among supporters. Several players have come under scrutiny following the result, but one particular summer arrival has attracted especially strong criticism.
Days after the heavy defeat, sections of the Celtic support remain furious with what they saw on the pitch. The performance has led to renewed questions over some of the manager’s decisions, with fans demanding changes before the team returns to action.
For some supporters, the frustration has now gone beyond criticism of a single performance. They believe one of Celtic’s recent signings has failed to make the expected impact and are calling on Martin O’Neill to leave the player out of his next starting lineup. Some have even described the signing as one of the club’s worst mistakes in recent memory.
The player at the centre of the storm is Haissem Hassan, who joined Celtic after spending the previous two seasons with Real Oviedo. Between 2024 and 2026, Hassan made 76 appearances for the Spanish club and scored four goals before making the move to Scotland.
Hassan arrived at Celtic with the opportunity to establish himself at one of the biggest clubs in Scottish football. However, his start to life in Glasgow has been difficult, with the winger making four appearances for the club during the current campaign without finding the back of the net.
His performances have now become a major talking point among sections of the Celtic fanbase following the Rangers defeat.
The 3–0 result at Ibrox has intensified the criticism directed towards the player. Supporters expected Celtic to produce a strong performance in one of the biggest fixtures of the season, but the defeat left many questioning whether certain players should continue to be trusted in important matches.
Hassan has consequently found himself under the spotlight, with supporters taking to social media to express their frustration.
@CallumFraser “Four appearances and I’m still waiting to see what he actually brings to this team. O’Neill needs to make a change.”
“That Rangers performance was nowhere near good enough. Hassan should be dropped for the next game, no question.”
@JamieMcLeod “I’m trying to give the guy time, but he has done very little so far. Hopefully he proves me wrong.”
The criticism, however, has not been completely unanimous. Some supporters believe it is too early to make a final judgment on the winger after only four appearances for the club.
@EwanCampbell “Calling him the worst signing ever is too much after four games. Give him time before writing him off.”
Another supporter focused on the manager’s responsibility to respond to the defeat, arguing that O’Neill must be prepared to make difficult selection decisions.
@LiamMcGregor “Why are we still starting players who aren’t performing? O’Neill has to be ruthless after that 3–0 defeat.”
@ScottMurray “The next few games are massive for Hassan. He needs to show Celtic fans exactly why the club signed him.”
The contrasting reactions underline the current mood around the player. While some fans have already lost patience, others believe the winger deserves more time before being judged.
For O’Neill, the situation presents an interesting selection dilemma. The Celtic boss must decide whether to continue giving Hassan opportunities to prove himself or remove him from the starting lineup and introduce another option.
Dropping the player could satisfy supporters demanding an immediate change, while continued selection would give Hassan another opportunity to silence his critics on the pitch.
Ultimately, the decision belongs to the manager. Hassan, meanwhile, has the opportunity to change the narrative surrounding his Celtic career. Four appearances without a goal is not enough to define an entire spell at the club, and the winger still has plenty of time to demonstrate why Celtic brought him to Scotland.
However, the pressure is already beginning to build.
The 3–0 defeat to Rangers has left Celtic supporters demanding a response, and Hassan is currently one of the players feeling the weight of that frustration most heavily.
Whether O’Neill listens to the calls from supporters and leaves the winger out of his next lineup remains to be seen. What is clear is that Hassan now needs a strong response on the pitch if he is to win back the confidence of the Celtic supporters who have turned against him following the Rangers defeat.
