Martin O’Neill was amusing his younger audience following Celtic’s friendly against Middlesbrough.
Last season the 74-year old spoke of how being around Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham had brought fresh ideas and enthusiasm to his managerial style.
It seems that being away from Jim White, Simon Jordan, Graham Spiers and Mark Guidi has also reinvigorated the Celtic boss.
With two weeks to go before the start of the domestic season Celtic’s recruitment is well on course to be worse than last summer.
A year ago Brendan Rodgers was left with striker options of Shin Yamada, Johnny Kenny and Kelechi Iheanacho. On the left win he could select between Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Sebastian Tounekti.
Yep he is part of the problem
— Brocher (@Brocher1888) July 18, 2026
Nothing to laugh about.
Especially if you are Callum McGregor, left to carry an increasing burden as he watches his quality team-mates being replaced by Paul Tisdale’s projects.
Clearly the Celtic captain is concerned. He spoke out about it towards the end of last season.
Every day on the training ground and in results McGregor deals with the decline at Celtic planned by Michael Nicholson.
O’NEILL MEETS UP WITH CELTIC’S SPECIAL MEDIA PARTNERS
Over in Portugal Celtic had four special guests.
Two from the Daily Record, one from the Sun and one from the Herald.
Three of the titles that led the end of season meltdown with round the clock coverage of Kris Boyd, Ally McCoist, Derek McInnes and Sam Nicholson.
One Record reporter got five days of anger out over the missing minutes and player assaults. Then the SFA released the audio.
BBC Scotland, Sky Sports and TalkSPORT also joined the pile on.
Before Celtic lost 4-1 to Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday O’Neill mentioned to Celtic’s media partners that he was planning to speak to McGregor about his issues
Alas the hoops boss still hasn’t managed that meeting.
He did manage a boozy night out with his new media mates. As he discussed at the media conference following the draw with Middlesbrough.
7 minutes 50 seconds
QUESTION: Martin, I know you said you were due to have a chat with Callum, have you had that conversation with him yet?
No, not yet. No, no, just too busy drinking with the lads! So once I sober up, then I’ll have that conversation with him and it’ll take me to Monday or Tuesday.
Oh how they roared with laughter in the Celtic media room. Martin’s new mates will soon be laughing at him rather than with him.
STANDING ALONGSIDE CELTIC’S EXECUTIVE FAILURES
The four reporters involved would have preferred if their night out with Martin hasn’t been made public.
All of their content is now more tainted. There is a greater expectation on them from their editors to come up with the big stories. Like transfer exclusives.
Faced with a difficult question O’Neill has three favoured tactics
- Mention his own age
- Comment on the youth of the person asking the question
- Or roll out an answer best kept for the After Dinner circuit.
First time around at Celtic from 2000 to 2005 he could rabble on for 10-15 minutes saying nothing to the Daily or Sunday newspapers.
The next day coherent quotes and stories appeared in print.
O’Neill doesn’t seem to realise that in 2026 90% of his media contact is recorded and broadcast almost instantly.
Wacky asides may go down a treat in the media room but make for horrific viewing for Celtic fans.
Writing off Nicholson’s failure to sign Kelechi Iheanacho and Marcelo Saracchi after eight weeks isn’t a good look.
O’Neill clearly has unswerving loyalty to Dermot Desmond and his place men in executive roles.
The club is in such a state that there is a real chance that McGregor will want to leave.
Offered a transfer fee for a high earning 33-year-old we know the answer of the Celtic board. Odin Thiago-Holm was signed in 2023 as McGregor’s successor.
NOTHING TO LAUGH AT
It is no laughing matter. O’Neill almost certainly knows McGregor’s motives.
Sharing that he opted for a boozy night out with the lads from the Record, Herald and Sun rather than confront the McGregor issue isn’t a smart move.
For the second time this season Celtic put James Forrest up for media duties. It seems that the rota has quietly skipped past McGregor.
So far this season Cameron Carter-Vickers, Vil Sinisalo, Callum Osmand and Luke McCowan have been put on media duties. But not McGregor.
Excellent point you raise Joe!
So MON prioritizes going out on the lash with Smsm reporters over a one to one discussion on the future of the most important player in Celtic.
That’s the picture he painted, which is dreadful optics.
So is Calmac in the doghouse atm due to his mention of the dreaded “A” word just as Brendan was ?
Looks like it.
And MON complies ?
Feels like we’re all passengers on the Titanic with Martin O’Neil as captain.
Full steam ahead!!!