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)
On Tuesday night Celtic published an interview with Martin O’Neill ‘breaking his silence’ after a period of self reflection.
Not many fans were convinced by the answers given.
O’Neill wasn’t in full hostage mode but the firebrand manager of 25 years ago was nowhere to be seen.
A year ago Brendan Rodgers spoke about not being the manager to maintain things. It was Alex Ferguson that described complacency as a virus inside football.
O’Neill seems very comfortable being a manager that maintains.
He hopes that Celtic can win the league.
O’NEILL APPEARS UNTOUCHABLE AT CELTIC
He thinks that a false narrative has developed on the back of three defeats in a week. The Celtic boss doesn’t believe that things are fundamentally wrong with his side.
Most fans would disagree. Two efforts on goal over 180 minutes against a side managed by Derek McInnes is a red flag to anyone. Except O’Neill.
Apparently those three defeats were down to bad luck and small margins.
Celtic fans aren’t fooled so easily. They have welcomed the international break, there isn’t much enthusiasm or anticipation for Sunday at Fir Park.
O’Neill’s interview only confirmed the worries that have been brewing.
Under the title of Analysis Joseph claimed:
Martin O’Neill was never going to be sacked by Celtic after three humiliating defeats in one week before the international break – but there was real potential of him walking away from the job.
After losing 1-0 at home to Rangers on September 20, O’Neill said he would take some time to think about whether he would continue as manager of the club.
Those comments sparked widespread reports and supporter speculation that the 74-year-old was on the verge of resigning.
Sky Sports News understands Celtic have always remained calm about the situation, despite the recent results. There was no appetite to pull the trigger themselves, especially when the teams are sitting at the top of the league.
Celtic appointed Wilfried Nancy as manager in December and remained calm. Michael Nicholson revealed that the French dud was his number one candidate.
Nancy lasted eight matches covering 33 days. He lost six of them. At Motherwell on Sunday O’Neill tries to halt a run of three straight defeats. He could go into November with a Nancy-type record.
That was proven when Celtic CEO Michael Nicholson backed O’Neill in a statement announcing the club’s latest financial results.
It is incredibly rare for the Annual Reports of a club, a legal obligation, to announce the sacking of a manager.
He said: “We will now come together and support Martin and the players, as we focus our efforts on achieving success domestically and in the Europa League.”
The ball has been completely in O’Neill’s court and – as he has said today – he very quickly indicated his intention and desire to stay.
The moment O’Neill resigns he returns to the circuit of appearances on TalkSPORT broken up by Q and A nights with Graham Spiers and other sycophants.
Celtic face a tricky next five games back – Motherwell away, Benfica away, Hearts at home, Celta Vigo at home and Hibernian away.
It’s going to be an interesting month ahead for O’Neill and Celtic.
The next four matches are critical.
Few fans are expecting Celtic to win six points domestically.
Few expect them to win any points in the Europa League from those matches. Or the following match at home to Besiktas.
Celtic’s next three Europa League opponents are all far better than Ferencvaros.
Sky Sports could be playing a very different tune by Sunday afternoon.
Never mind sacking Martin O’Neil, sack the board they are the architects of our ever descending downfall and lack of ambition, corporate greed and austerity and asset stripping just mention a few of their glorious achievements, stop giving them your money or you are complicit in the destruction of our club
The league isn’t won in October. We have four key players coming back into the match day squad in Jota, Johnstone, Osmand and Yang. Horrible as the last three defeats were, I’m certainly not joining the gloom and doom narrative at the is stage in the season.
Editor: Osmand s a key player, that kinda sums things up. Not even the lads on Thick News are playing that card, noticed how you have no midfielders in the list of four key players…
Dont expect any points from the next 3 EL games and the Benifa game will be a hammering on an epic scale, Motherwell and Hearts will be very tough