GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Celtic Manager Martin O'Neill (L) and Coach Shaun Maloney (R) during a William Hill Premiership match between Celtic and Rangers at Celtic Park, on September 20, 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ross Parker/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Graham Spiers has given his insight into Martin O’Neill’s situation at Celtic, hinting strongly that a parting could be just days away.
Before the Irishman returned to Celtic last October Spiers had hosted a couple of Q and A nights, recalling his first spell as manager at the turn of the century.
Although now in semi-retirement and far from the daily news beat Spiers is closer to O’Neill than any reporter currently on the circuit.
Towards the end of June Spiers claimed that O’Neill was concerned that Celtic hadn’t issued Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham with coaching contracts.
Three days later, as Celtic returned to training Maloney and Fotheringham had their deals but it was another sign of a dysfunctional football club.
Back at pre-season training on June 26 there were no new signings.
Three days after the first pre-season friendly against Shelbourne Camilo Duran was signed.
Kasper Hogh was added before the opening SPFL match of the season. Two arrivals for one position with gaping holes all over the squad.
In public O’Neill never raised any criticism of the Celtic board.
CELTIC DISSENT LEAKS OUT THROUGH SPIERS
During his two/three stints as manager Michael Nicholson never once spoke in public about O’Neill.
At various unveilings Nicholson was posted missing. One of the problems you face when you have a recluse draining £17,000 a week and contributing nothing.
O’Neill’s media conference after the Glasgow Derby provided a few hints that he may step down as manager.
Adding fuel to that, on Sunday evening on his Patreon site Spiers wrote:
Martin O’Neill will spend the next few days of the international break seriously considering whether to remain in position as Celtic manager.
O’Neill was pained by his team’s inadequate performance in their 1-0 defeat to Rangers today, the club’s third defeat in a week.
During the domestic break ahead the Celtic manager will attempt to grab a brief foreign holiday with his wife, Geraldine, during which one question will be uppermost in his mind: “should I stay on as manager?”Celtic Park on Sunday was hugely dispiriting for O’Neill. What was worse for the Celtic boss was that, throughout the 90 minutes against Rangers, game-plan after game-plan being hatched from the dugout failed to have much impact on the pitch.
Celtic were bossed by Rangers. Derek McInnes’s team could easily have won 3-0 over the 90 minutes.
In one excruciating period of play for O’Neill in the second half, when Celtic were supposedly trying to chase an equaliser, Rangers had produced nine of the game’s 10 shots on goal.
Celtic looked incoherent and impotent. Long balls out of defence just came back to them. And short passes out of defence often turned into blind alleys.
Celtic Park – filled with home fans – became aghast at what it was watching.
A 21 DAY BREAK THAT CAN’T BE WASTED
O’Neill now has a 21-day break before Celtic’s next match on October 11 against Motherwell and there must be serious questions now about his future at the club.
It wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if the Celtic manager decided to stand down.
A number of issues have festered with O’Neill since the start of the season, and none of it was helped by a bout of ill-health which required him to be hospitalised four weeks ago.
It could well be that, following a period of reflection in the days ahead, O’Neill informs Celtic of his wish to step aside.
A number of factors have frustrated O’Neill in the last two months at Celtic, although he has always chosen to defend the club in public.
These can now be explored, because the truth will out.
I believe O’Neill was left frustrated by Celtic’s attempts at recruitment during the recent transfer window. On a number of occasions a targeted player failed to arrive.
As August wore on, O’Neill was defending Celtic in public, saying great efforts were being made at recruitment. Privately, he was despairing.
CELTIC RECRUITMENT FAILS ANOTHER MANAGER
The Celtic board appeared to reach a view that, by the time August was out, their business of bringing new, quality players to the club had been satisfactorily concluded.
It is inconceivable that O’Neill agreed, because he appears to believe his squad is currently weaker compared to the one that secured last season’s league and cup double.
Questions remain about the onfield quality that players like Kasper Hogh, Mika Baur and Haissem Hassan will bring to Celtic.
Many Celtic fans have their doubts.
O’Neill finally went public on Friday over the timing of Arnie Engels’ departure, stating that the player was not adequately replaced when key Champions League qualifiers were looming.
Other aspects inside the club have left the Celtic manager frustrated.
From the moment Celtic began to wrangle about the salaries of the management/coaching staff for this 2026/27 season, O’Neill felt a bad vibe about things. It set an uncomfortable tone around Celtic as the new season approached.
O’Neill has also struggled to reshape Celtic’s playing style to a more front-footed, aggressive, forward-momentum method. The legacy of Brendan Rodgers’ allegiance to passing/possession/recycling football has run deep at Celtic, and proved frustrating for O’Neill to try to change.
FAILED TACTICS AND CHANGING FORMATIONS
One upshot of this is a side that sometimes looks confused. Against Rangers, Celtic played a mix of short-ball and long-ball football, leaving a cloudy picture about the team.
Most brutally for O’Neill on Sunday, Celtic had little to offer in the second half, despite numerous substitutions and tweaking of shape.
There was anger around Celtic Park, as well as the feeling that, after such a dreadful week, the team was going nowhere. O’Neill might well feel that his heroics of last season are now well and truly consigned to history.
Celtic’s next three fixtures starting October 11 are against Motherwell (a), Benfica (a) and Hearts (h).
O’Neill confessed after the 1-0 defeat to Rangers:
“It’s a time for self-reflection. I think I could be much better. When you lose games you have to reflect on it, you have to reflect on what you have done for the team. You have to ask: ‘have done enough for the side?’ A manager is responsible for the team and for results. So, yes, I do self-reflect a great deal.”
O’Neill might reappear from the break refreshed and raring to go again, but few would be surprised if he chose to leave his role. His family are settled in the south and, at 74, a more idyllic lifestyle is there waiting to be embraced.
O’Neill will surely have a conversation with Dermot Desmond, the man who brought him back to Celtic last year, 20 years after he had last managed the club.
Is Martin O’Neill enjoying his job at Celtic? I severely doubt it.
Are Martin’s days as Celtic manager numbered? Yes, they might well be.
SURELY NICHOLSON CAN’T SURVIVE THIS
The main reason that O’Neill is in the job is that no-one credible would work alongside an empty suit like Nicholson.
Similarly it is difficult to imagine a savvy CEO operating under the constraints that Dermot Desmond has over Celtic.
A new manager is needed, alongside a new CEO and approach.
Last October Desmond pinned all of the problems of Celtic on one man.
With Brendan Rodgers gone the entire club is exposed. An infrastructure and ‘strategy’ that is dependent on a strong willed manager covering for the failings across every area of the club.
Shaun Maloney appears to be the heir apparent at Celtic.
While he has strengths as a coach Maloney isn’t management material.
His appointment on an interim basis would confirm the complete lack of understanding that Nicholson has of Celtic and the requirements of the first team manager.
What should Celtic Fans Collective do with Not Another Penny?
CONTINUE- This is the main way to protest
SUSPEND- Let us see what Celtic Connect produces
ABANDON- No longer required or useful
A new manager will again (maybe) paper over the cracks. What every Celtic supporter, hopefully now sees and knows is that the fundamental changes that are so desperately needed are from the top down. Old men running our club with stale ideas and cemented minds are never going to move us forward in the ever progressing football world. Bobo Glimt and the like are not successful solely due to their manager but largely down to the infrastructure behind the scenes. But unfortunately I think it is just going to be rinse and repeat for the foreseeable.