Martin O’Neill has moved to justify Celtic’s choice to bring Stephen Welsh back from his loan spell at Motherwell…
The defender returns to Glasgow after an impressive run of matches under Jens Berthel-Askou’s side, where he had become a regular starter in a Motherwell side currently sitting fourth in the Scottish Premiership, just four points adrift of the champions.
Following a convincing 4-0 victory over Dundee United in O’Neill’s first match since beginning his third stint in charge of the Hoops, the club activated a clause allowing them to end the 25-year-old’s loan agreement at Fir Park.
Auston Trusty. Premier Sports Cup Final. St Mirren v Celtic. Hampden Park, Sunday 14 December 2025. Photo AJ (The Celtic Star)
The decision has been influenced by a shortage of defensive options, with Cameron Carter-Vickers sidelined for an extended period. Liam Scales, Auston Trusty and Dane Murray remain the main centre-back choices, with Welsh now added back into the rotation.
Alarm bells are ringing for supporters who believe that with £77 million in the bank, the club could easily go and spend money on a defender. But that’s not the Celtic way of doing things.
Speaking to Celtic TV [behind a paywall], O’Neill outlined the reasoning behind the move and defended the club’s approach.
Celtic interim manager Martin O’Neill in dugout with Celtic interim assistant manager Shaun Maloney and Celtic assistant coach Gavin Strachan. Celtic v Dundee United, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 10 January 2026. Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO/Shutterstock
The interim Celtic boss said: “Well, at the moment, he’s enjoying himself immensely at Motherwell. We have this opportunity to do that and then he can go back out again before the end of the window, back to Motherwell if he can.”
“Now, the last thing you want to do is stop somebody really enjoying himself and he’s having a really, really great season with a team that’s flying. They play some beautiful football.”
O’Neill added: “I’ve only had a chance here this morning to just say hello to him. But really in essence, we at this moment until we get some recruits in, then needs must and we can do it.”
Stephen Welsh of Motherwell, Dundee v Motherwell, Scottish Premiership, Dens Park, Dundee, 13 September 2025. Photo Neil Hanna IMAGO/Shutterstock
“I’m totally unaware of the rules at this moment, having been out for some time, but I think I was reminded that we had to do something pretty quickly. If it passed a certain day then we couldn’t do it. I think there was a cutoff.”
“And as I said, we will see, but we just need him in case we’ve got anything that happens to any of our defensive players. We’ve got three at this minute, you’ve got young Dane who’s very inexperienced in that sense, who I think can definitely be a player, I think there’s a player there. But if anything happens to those lads at all, then you are in a bit of trouble. So we might look at something again, but we’ll see, but that’s the reason for it.”
It is expected Welsh will be thrown straight into the squad for tomorrow night’s trip to Falkirk Stadium, in what is now a must win match for Celtic.
All Books Now Half Price in the Celtic Star Books January Sale…
These books now available at at HALF PRICE in our January sale – click on image to order…
Order from Celtic Star Books HERE!
Please note that p&p is priced at £4.50 is only charged on ONE book so you can buy as many of our books as you like and the postage cost will remain the same. Why not expand your Celtic library today?
Whether we like it or not, these last 2 europa league matches, were always going to have a big bearing upon our January window?
Even Julian isn’t eligible for those 2 remaining matches, so potentially looking at ralston or Donovan for those games?
And we have to contend with back to back matches upon the plastic, which in itself can bring it own risks, especially with Tierney in mind?
As for Welsh, expecting him to be in the squad tomorrow night, and to start if any issues regarding trusty imo?
On the bigger picture, is the right CB position, going to be prioritised if we continue our europa league campaign into the knockout phase, where only 3 changes to our squad will be allowed?
If Julian is going to be considered as 1 potential change in the making already, then say another striker and wide right option would be considered as a higher priority imo?
Even at that, can balikwisha even get himself into a 20man match day squad? Seen nothing yet to suggest that he can, but not in a position to totally rule that option out, just yet anyway?
With hopefully kelchi and Saracchi returning soon, there would have to be space made available for them, from our 20man squad at the weekend, but at who’s expense?
So plenty for MoN and Maloney to consider, for there decision making at present. Made even more complicated with a fixture list as it is, and the amount of uncertainty within our playing squad also imo?
The Celtic Supporters Ltd looking for 15,000 fans to buy Celtic back in a share issue. This has to develop and we’ve got to take our club back and back.
The directors not backing Martin is unforgivable. They will not he welcomed back at Celtic indefinitely if they don’t give the most loved manager in modern history the players he needs.