Celtic ready to appoint permanent manager in international break with top target named
Chris Sutton is shocked at the tolerance levels of Martin O’Neill.
First time around it was only the very best for the Irishman as Celtic signed up Sutton, Alan Thompson, Joos Valgaeren and Neil Lennon in a £20m signing spree in his first months in the job.
As well as transfer fees those players were being paid top wages. None of them were leaving were coming to Glasgow for the weather and golf courses.
All four of those players went straight into the team, stayed there and contributed to success of what became a treble winning side.
January 2026 was very different.
Celtic refused to make a single permanent signing.
They went close with Joel Mvuku but a medical condition saw them pull back to a loan deal.
THE DILEMMA FACING MARTIN O’NEILL
Mvuku has made two appearances for Celtic. He has almost become a joke figure, his appearance in the Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox was puzzling at best.
Mvuku wasn’t in the squad that lost to Dundee United.
Ben Arthur, starting his fourth senior match was the only January signing that made the kick-off at Tannadice.
Sutton has watched O’Neill trying to handle the situation as diplomatically as possible.
First time around as Celtic boss O’Neill suffered similar frustrations to Brendan Rodgers.
After reaching the 2003 UEFA Cup Final a loan deal for Micky Gray was the only signing made that summer.
When Henrik Larsson left Celtic brought in Henri Camara on loan, in January he was swapped for Craig Bellamy.
Rodgers lost Kyogo Furuhashi and Adam Idah with Shin Yamada the only striker signed to balance the £19m received.
Nicolas Kuhn was sold to Como at the start of July, it wasn’t until February that Mvuku, a right winger was signed.
Whoever succeeds O’Neill faces the biggest Celtic rebuild of this century.
Martin O’Neill’s future at Celtic is uncertain, with speculation ramping up after their recent defeat to Dundee United. The 73-year-old manager has shown promise in his interim role, guiding the team to a 4-0 win against Dundee United, but it’s unclear if he’ll stay on permanently ¹.
O’Neill has expressed a desire for new players to strengthen the squad, but for now, he’s focused on maximizing the current team’s potential. Former Leeds United and Celtic legend Eddie Gray suggests O’Neill might stay if Celtic secures a Champions League spot, citing the allure of leading a team into Europe’s elite competition at his age as a potential motivator ² ³.
*Key Factors Influencing O’Neill’s Decision:*
– _Champions League Qualification_: A spot in the Champions League could sway O’Neill’s decision.
– _Team Performance_: Consistency and success will be crucial in determining his future.
– _New Signings_: The quality of incoming players may impact O’Neill’s willingness to stay
Martin O’Neill has a rich managerial history, with notable stints at Celtic, Aston Villa, and Leicester City. He’s known for his tactical prowess and ability to win trophies, including the Scottish Premier League title with Celtic in 2006 [1][2].
*O’Neill’s Achievements:*
– *Scottish Premier League Champion*: 2006 with Celtic
– *Scottish Cup Winner*: 2005, 2006 with Celtic
– *Scottish League Cup Winner*: 2006 with Celtic
– *UEFA Cup Runner-up*: 2008 with Aston Villa
As for Celtic’s title chances, they’re currently in the mix, but consistency is key. With O’Neill at the helm, they’ve shown signs of improvement, but they’ll need to keep performing to challenge Rangers and other top teams [3][4].
