Martin O’Neill. Celtic v theRangers. Premier Sports Cup, semi final at Hampden. 2 November 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
Q: Are you confident, given that you’re coming in until the end of the season, that you’ll get the support when it comes to expenditure on players in this window, which is notoriously difficult?
Martin O’Neill: “If you could sign all the players that you’d want to have, it would be great, and it doesn’t work like that. I generally work within the parameters of the club, but I’d be hoping that now we’re in a bit of difficulty, we have to fight back, and I think that, as I said to you, I’m saying to you, and I would say the same to the board, and I think we’re all aware, and so are the fans, that we do, the squad needs strengthening, if we can do.
“Now, we might bring in some players that may not be that much better, if that’s the case, but that’s up to us. The nice thing about it, if we can get a few people in, I think the squad will benefit from it, I think that’s the main thing. If you sign in an extra, let’s say an extra midfield player or something, it’s nice to have a bit of competition for places, if that’s the case.
“It’s no excuse, but we’ve had the injuries, the long-term injuries to the players, and I don’t see, I was quickly speaking to the medical staff, I don’t see an imminent return for any of the long-term boys now, for a while. Alistair Johnston thinks he might be back, maybe in March time, which is good news, if that’s the case, March is a long time, a long time for me, so I don’t have that time.”
Q: How did your family react when you said you were coming back again?
Martin O’Neill: “Exactly the same, exactly the same, honestly, my two daughters really, really delighted, ‘Go for it dad!’ My wife said, ‘You’ll mess it, you’ll mess it up!’ But she said that the last time, and she’s claiming she didn’t, but she did, so it’s the same thing, but I think there’s a real, genuine excitement about this, so go for it.”
Q: Did you have any conversations with Wilfried Nancy, either during his tenure, or when he left?
Martin O’Neill: “I had 15 or 20 minutes with him, on the day after the Dundee game, so a Thursday up here, and it was fine. I thought he was a really fine man. I was not giving him advice, I was giving my opinion, if he was asking for it, and the conversation was fine. It wasn’t, please, it was not that Wilfried wanted to cut it short at all, in fact, if anything, it was probably me, in that aspect. No, it was really fine, he’s got his own ideas. I think that, obviously being naturally disappointed, I think he will come again, and be a really good coach, or manager, whatever you call it these days. My conversation was not that long, but yeah, I just, I obviously wish him all the best at the time, and still do, so I have not spoken to him since, but I haven’t fallen out with him.”
Q: The players, Martin, really had a connection with you, when you came back for that short spell, and you’d be hoping that that just, continues for this next one, for however long it is?
Martin O’Neill: “Yeah, we know, it’s winning, it’s winning, and that connection is fine, when you’re winning. When it’s not winning football matches, that becomes a problem. It’s the same in any dressing room at all, so the players, are the most important people, because they do the winning of football matches. Show them a little bit of guidance, if that’s the case, or my approach now, to the players, is a different approach I would have had, when I started out in management. I’m still reasonably aggressive, you know, I’d be far more aggressive, in earlier days, you know, so, maybe there was less to be aggressive about, because we were winning. I’m guided by them, they have to do the winning, you know, so it’s up to them, and obviously, up to me, as the manager.”
All Books Now Half Price in the Celtic Star Books January Sale…
Celtic in the Thirties by Celtic Historian Matt Corr is published in two volumes by Celtic Star Books. ORDER NOW!
Both volumes of Celtic in the Thirties are now available on Amazon Kindle, with the links to order below. Signed copies of both volumes are available on hardback from Celtic Star Books and if you would like author Matt Corr to add a special dedication to your copies please let us know. Order hardback copies HERE or for Amazon Kindle click on the links below…
Click to order Volume One
Click to order Volume Two
