Start of Advent, let’s hope it’s a good month for the Hoops…

Martin O'Neill — Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney at Easter Road. Sunday 30 November 2025. Hibs v Celtic, Scottish Premiership. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Today is the first day in December, the second day of advent, it also signals the start of a run of important fixtures over the next month as we head into a New Year, and it’s vital we win each and every one if we want to keep our ourselves on course for turning a turbulent season into a hugely successful one. For that to happen December, as usually is the case, is the key.

Wednesday night sees Celtic take on a Dundee side that has already defeated us this season, and after getting a good result at the weekend – defeating Celtic’s Premier Sports Cup Final opponents St Mirren, 3-1 at Dens Park, they will be full of confidence heading to the East-end of Glasgow. This possibly could be the final game in charge for Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney but Dermot Desmond might be thinking ‘if it’s not broken then don’t fix it”.

Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2024 Dermot Desmond on the 18th tee during the final round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2024 on the Old Course at St. Andrews Golf CLub, Fife, . 06/10/2024. Picture Fran Caffrey / Golffile.ie

Next up is another home fixture, on Sunday afternoon against current. league leaders Hearts, arguably our most important game of the campaign so far, and if we beat Dundee then Hearts we will top the table and will also have a game in hand.

Celtic lost to both Dundee and Hearts at Des Park and Tynecastle respectively at the end of October, in what turned out to be Brendan Rodgers’ last two league matches in charge. A wee bit or revenge on both at Celtic Park adds to the appeal in picking up these vital six points and if we play like we did in Rotterdam last Thursday night then we’ll be doing just that.

Wilfried Nancy head coach of the Columbus Crew looks on before the 2025 MLS Cup Playoff match against FC Cincinnati at Lower.com Field on November 02, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)

As things stand it looks like we will have a new man in the dugout, with talks with Wilfried Nancy said to be near completion. Conall McGinty, writing on The Celtic Star last night, argued that Celtic should wait until after the Premier Sports Cup Final before making the managerial change from the interim pairing of Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney to Wilfried Nancy and his staff.

After the Hearts game, it’s back to Europa League action as we face Roma on Thursday 11 December at Celtic Park, and if we can play like we did defeating Feyenoord 3-1 in De Kuip then collecting three points is very much a realistic target.

Celtic celebrations — Cameron Carter-Vickers of Celtic celebrates with teammates after the team’s victory in the penalty shoot out during the Premier Sports Cup Final between Celtic and Rangers at Hampden Park on December 15, 2024. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Three days later we head to Hampden to face St Mirren in the Premier Sports Cup final, and the chance to win the first silverware on offer this campaign. Martin O’Neill got us there with that brilliant 3-1 win over theRangers and he’s well versed in negotiating Cup Finals as Celtic manager. For Wilfried Nancy it would be all new and the risks for Celtic would accordingly be greater.

Then it’s Dundee United away, Aberdeen at home, Livingston and Motherwell away before starting the new year with a home clash to theRangers.

It’s the season of celebration, let’s hope we are celebrating all the way through it ad when the transfer window opens in January, let’s hope that Wilfried Nancy is given the tools to do the job.