KILMARNOCK, SCOTLAND - JANUARY 18: Celtic Manager Martin O'Neill during a Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Fourth Round match between Auchinleck Talbot and Celtic at BBSP Stadium Rugby Park, on January 18, 2026, in Kilmarnock, Scotland. (Photo by Alan Harvey/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Martin O’Neill is generally a very shrewd media operator.
For the best part of thirty years he has been on one side or the other of the microphones.
At Leicester, Celtic, Aston Villa and Sunderland he knew the drill as he faced his rota of pre and post match questioning.
It is a while however since he has been involved in transfer windows. Especially at Celtic.
O’NEILL INHERITS THE RECRUITMENT FAILURE
With each passing recruitment failure the need for Celtic to get it right next time has grown more critical.
Michael Nicholson has excelled in that department. He has been driving the increasing failure.
Since the January 2022 window when Ange Postecoglou and Frank Trimboli showed him what to do Nicholson has got progressively worse.
After resting 10 players for the Scottish Cup tie against Auchinleck Talbot it was confirmed to O’Neill that there is very little else to work with in this Celtic squad.
Most fans already knew that. Every day they search for signs of progress, a development to suggest that the club is trying to improve. It never happens.
O’Neill is the face and voice of the club.
After the Auchinleck match he tried to crack a joke that only Neil Lennon found funny.
Poor reply from MO , the answer in fact tells you more than him actually saying yes or no. Clear as day he thinks their not capable of getting deals done for whatever reason.
— Pablos baws (@ThomasOhara15) January 18, 2026
Supporters know that managers have to be diplomatic when they answer questions, discreet when it comes to their board and transfer issues.
NICHOLSON FAILS TO DELIVER
Over 18 days of January Celtic fans have more than had their fill of ‘making enquires’, ‘asked to be informed’, ‘watching developments’ and all the other excuses.
They trust O’Neill to deliver. They assumed that his second return as interim manager came with guarantees. There would be signings, the squad, the team would improve.
Day by day it is becoming clear that there is no boardroom interest in signing players. The so called Recruitment Department or whatever it is titled is non-existent.
O’Neill has been round the houses and back again with excuses for the failings of CEO Nicholson.
There are no jokes to be had.
It might be a giggle in media circles but it is no laughing matter for Celtic fans as 2026 simply becomes an extension of the miseries of 2025.
What’s Lennon all about with his fake, arse licking laughter….still after a job at Paradise ffs?!!
It’s always ever been about Neil Lennon as far as Neil Lennon is concerned. No Shame. Neil Lennon fits the Perfect Peter Principle deployed by Peter and Dermot. Jobs for the Bhoys, the mates, the relatives. And each job beyond the wildest capabilities of the chosen few. He’s just a brown nose to PL and the board.
And me being an old cynic what were the actual odds of The Establishment Club getting yet another home draw and guaranteed of course to be the lowest ranked team still in the draw?? ? This definitely looks like one of those seasons that it is time for all brothers in Scottish Football to come to the aid of the Club?
Throwing the league
I wish MON would just jack it in ,he’s like a shield for these chances on the board,he’s come back been sold a lot of rubbish about transfers and he’s bought into just like Rodgers did the second time.I wish he would just go and then spill the beans on his paymasters,I think the league is probably lost now anyway because of the help sevco are getting from the Lanarkshire refs,plus they are seriously tooling up to win this title and god forbid they get CL money they will blow us out the water.If MON goes this boards regime will be untenable and we may get a change.if MON stays nothing will change.
The Celtic board are dysfunctional.
Almost the 20th and still The Square Root of F**k All !