GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - JANUARY 28: Celtic Manager Martin O'Neill during a Celtic MD-1 press conference at the Lennoxtown Training Centre, on January 28, 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Martin O’Neill has defended his side over the claim that they’ve lost their two biggest matches of the season.
In the SPFL Premiership Celtic have started with six wins out of six.
But in mid-September the hoops have been knocked out of the Champions League and League Cup.
For most fans there are deep concerns that came out of the defeats at Linz and Ibrox.
Once those matches turned against Celtic the team failed to dig in resulting in three goal defeats over 90 minutes.
Questions have been raised about issues in midfield with both opponents scoring two goals from the edge of the penalty box.
Occasionally O’Neill has mentioned a lack of physicality in midfield but the same trio were selected for both of those matches.
Rather than conceded that there are areas in the team that need to be changed O’Neill took issue with the claim that his side had lost their biggest matches, the toughest tests of the season.
QUESTION: I think in the two biggest tests you’ve had this season away in the Champions League, obviously Rangers at the weekend, a lot of people are looking at midfield and the defensive element of that, does that concern that to you?
O’NEILL:
Do you know what, defeat always concerns me, honestly it really does, defeat concerns me.
I got knocked by us losing in the Champions League qualifying game, there might have been some sort of reasons for that eventually, we’ll always find a reason for it.
I don’t agree with those being the two biggest tests, every single game is a test for us, we go to St Mirren that’s a test, we go to St Johnstone it is a test, at the end of the day we have to try and come through those, there’s no point in trying to win some football matches if you lose other games, and I think that that’s been the case.
We’ve eventually, regardless, we’ve found a way to win last season, we found something along the way when the odds were piled against us, so at this minute, at least we started off this season level pegging and now it’s up to us to try and push on from there, the season will be tough, tomorrow night will be tough, Sunday will be very tough as well, and it’s up to us to find ways to try and win football matches, regardless of who plays.
Most managers defend their players but there is no comparison with wins in Paisley and Perth to the defeats at Ibrox and Linz.
It is interesting that O’Neill drops in some mystery over the Champions League exit with his reference to ‘there might have been some sort of reasons for that eventually’.
O’NEILL ON THE BACK FOOT
From the turn of the year it was known that the SPFL champions faced one Play Off tie to reach the Champions League.
Celtic had ample time to prepare, they won the SPFL title on May 16 and hosted LASK on August 18 and 25.
Most fans would say that more than two new signings were needed before the opening competitive match of the season.
Mika Baur made his first start in the home leg against LASK after a 20 minute run out at Dundee United.
Haissem Hassan came off the bench at home to LASK but wasn’t used away from home against the Austrian champions.
Celtic did sell Arne Engels after registering him in their Champions League squad and were hit with injury to Alistair Johnston.
Twice last season O’Neill had plenty of leeway, coming in as Interim Manager with the team struggling.
Now as permanent manager, with a pre-season to prepare and a transfer window to deal in there are higher expectations.
Celtic face two tough challenges over the next four days.
If anything it gets tougher after the international break with an eight day run of Motherwell and Benfica away followed by hosting Hearts.
By mid-October a lot more answers will be known about the team and squad that O’Neill is responsible for.
Sunday is MASSIVE for Martin and the players as well as us supporters !