Celtic coach Martin O’Neill celebrates a goal by Chris Sutton. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Q: I just wonder, you’ve came into this a bit afresh and you’ve worked with the squad for how long? You mentioned a few times, especially last night as well, just back to basics and stripping it back and football can be a simple game at times. Do you think within that squad there just has to be that reminder sometimes, and you have to just sometimes to go forward, do you have to strip it back?
Martin O’Neill: “That’s a good point you make, but I think that it’s time. You spend a little bit of time to get to know players. In an ideal world, if you’re going into a management job, you would like to have some time with the team. If I’m going back 25 years, I had pre-season with the team. I was able to sign, funnily enough, Chris Sutton, and then I brought some players into the football club to supplement some really good players who, strangely enough, had lost confidence from the previous year. I’m put into this situation here and it’s just a matter of probably getting to know the players as much as possible. There might be a couple of lads who have not participated at the moment that might come and shine and we’ll need them really at the end of it. We’ve picked up a few injuries, but we knew that at the time anyway, and we’ll see where we go.”
Celtic stating xI – team photo Midtjylland vs Celtic, UEFA Europa League, Group Stage, Football, MCH Arena, Herning, Denmark – 06 Nov 2025Herning MCH Arena Denmark Photo Michael Zemanek
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Q: Do you think nights like last night shine a spotlight, Martin, on where this squad is and the suitability to compete in Europe? Because for the last couple of weeks, there’s been a lot of focus on the job you’ve done since coming in, maybe the job the previous manager did. Does nights like last night maybe remind everyone that there’s a big rebuild needed here to compete?
Martin O’Neill: “Oh, I think that that’s pretty plain to see. Yeah, of course. This is it. You need strength and depth to compete in Europe. Obviously you’ve got your domestic football here and looking down at the fixtures again, there’s no respite here between now and probably the end of January time. So you’re playing weekends and midweek and it’s relentless. So you need a big squad to cope with that, and if you are trying to rotate as well too, getting to know the players as quickly as possible is something that is obviously really important for me and important to me.”
Martin O’Neill interim manager of Celtic Midtjylland vs Celtic, UEFA Europa League, Group Stage, Football, MCH Arena, Herning, Denmark – 06 November 2025Herning MCH Arena Denmark Photo Michael Zemanek Shutterstock IMAGO
Q: On that point, Martin, I just wonder, a lot of fans are just seeking clarity of what’s next and they just want to know what’s going to happen. You’ve of course got the January transfer window coming up as well. Do you understand the fans’ urge to get clarity?
Martin O’Neill: “Well, on a really serious note, and I assume that they’ll not have anybody in by Sunday, but if Sunday was my last game, that is absolutely fine with me. Really has been, and I think that’s been pretty clear. That’s my clarity, as it were, and that’s it. It’s a fortnight’s time to get someone in. I’m sure since Brendan resigned, the board must be thinking about it and must have people in mind at the end of it. I’m not party to that, nor do I want to be. So, as I said to you, if they announce a new manager on Monday morning or Tuesday morning, absolutely fine, I’ve done it. It’s just getting back to your thoughts of legacy and that there, it really wouldn’t bother me. We did beat (the)Rangers, and that would be that, so I can always mark that down.”
Callum McGregor at Hampden. Celtic v theRangers. Premier Sports Cup, semi final at Hampden. 2 November 2025. Photo AJ (The Celtic Star)
Q: If it were to be your final game here in this wee stretch, I just wonder how you try and sum up the last few games?
Martin O’Neill: “Yeah, honestly, I would go back to drinking coffee, which is rather expensive down in London, and that’s what I would do, and think to myself, did that really happen? I shouldn’t even be smiling after last night, and I’m not really, but yeah, it’s been really strange indeed. And there are moments I have actually enjoyed, and there’s moments when you don’t, and like last night was a moment that you couldn’t possibly enjoy. It gives you a reality check, like everything else, and some of the other surreal moments have been really nice, but that’s it. But genuinely, if there was a call on Monday that the board had decided on someone, that’s been fine. It would have been a really strange fortnight, and I might meet you for a coffee in a year’s time and think, oh my gosh, did that happen?”
Arne Engels. Celtic v theRangers. Premier Sports Cup, semi final at Hampden. 2 November 2025. Photo AJ (The Celtic Star)
Q: Just on Arne Engels, I know you said he was limping a little bit.
Martin O’Neill: “Yeah, he’s a little bit sore at this moment. I think that they think that, they’re hoping that he’s going to be okay. I think it was just more stretching than anything else, so I think that’s the case.”
Arne Engels of Celtic competes for the ball with Mikel Kruger-Johnsen of FC Midtjylland Midtjylland vs Celtic, UEFA Europa League, Group Stage, Football, MCH Arena, Herning, Denmark – 06 November 2025. Photo Michael Zemanek Shutterstock/IMAGO
Here’s what might turn out to be Martin’s O’Neill’s final pre-match media conference ahead of Sunday’s Scottish Premiership match against Kilmarnock at Celtic Park…
Superb from Martin especially re “legacy” 👍🏻🤩👍🏻. Same old SMSM all repeating the same old question desperate for MON to leave just like they did 25 years ago….not one question about Sundays match – a cabal of 🤡shttps://t.co/Ri551JrXpv
— Henriklubo (@Henriklubo) November 7, 2025
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There will always be a place in the Celtic stand for you among the supporters for your honesty i didnt see you and lawell getting photo hand shake for media what Rodgers has done in winning trophies but is it his just for himself always the agenda with Rodgers he knew after transfer window closed that he didnt fancy the squad but instead of trying to sort it but after we didnt qualify for champions league europa cup was beneath you just like spl you joined Celtic second time i was happy when you joined but would you have joined we were not in champions league you have damage Celtic with your fight against lawell i just hope he goes to it got personal and Celtic Football Club has been damaged cause of your big egos and lawell i hope Desmond Dermit relises how much you have damage the club our m
Collatril should be on the pitch Celtic have made more money by bringing players into the squad and doubling even tripling there transfer fee but you need to have a core of 5 to 8 good proffesional players to lets these players come in relaxed ease them self in eithoit expecting to much Engels young man has to live up to our record transfer the bhoys been trying to do to much and Rodgers brilliant at bringing players forgot what he was there for for to look after these players take the presdure of them instead he was blaming players and if your the big money transfer Engels thinks and why not Rodgers is fingering him instead of tell media he has good players but need just as good meaning £5 maybe £8million players and he asking board to spend that but he wont sign his a contract himself so he decided ill play tippy tappy football terrible