The performances on the pitch told you everything you needed to know. It was as plain as day that the players were struggling to adapt to what he wanted from them. He tried to change too much, too soon. These players didn’t become duds overnight. They were just struggling to perform in a system that was alien to them, under a manager who expected too much of them.
Callum McGregor and new Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Hearts at Celtic Park on December 07, 2025 . (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Martin O’Neill has gone back to basics
Martin O’Neill has simply gone back to basics, just like he did after replacing Brendan Rodgers. Use a formation the players are familiar with. Play your best players in the positions most suited to them.
Give them instructions before the game and let this group of experienced players apply those instructions on the pitch. No need to constantly bring them to the sidelines to fill their heads with more information. No need for tactics boards or notepads. Let them get on with things and focus on playing what is essentially a pretty simple game.
Celtic interim manager Martin O’Neill reacts during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee United at Celtic Park on January 10, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Martin’s backroom team deserves plenty of credit
This is what Martin O’Neill brings. Simplicity. Authority. Trust. His backroom team deserves plenty of credit too. You can see how much happier the players are around them, compared to Nancy’s coaches.
The players look like they are enjoying their football again and that’s what matters. Our squad is weaker than in previous seasons, there’s no doubt about that. We also have a quite extensive injury list, to key players.
We still have the best squad in Scotland however. If we play to the best of our capabilities we should still win the league this season. With Martin O’Neill in charge, steering the ship out of troubled waters, I firmly believe we will.
Benjamin Nygren celebrates his goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee United at Celtic Park on January 10, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Yesterday was exactly what we needed. Three points were vital. The performance was an added bonus.
No visible scars from Nancy fiasco
Watching that game you would never had known the horrors of the previous month and that’s perhaps the most important thing to come out of yesterday. There were no visible scars. The players seem to have their confidence back already.
Playing to your strengths under a system that everyone understands and trusts will do that. These players look up for the fight. I have no doubts there will be a few more bumps in the road along the way but under this current management team I have no doubt they will bounce straight back.
Daizen Maeda of Celtic scores our fourth goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee United at Celtic Park on January 10, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
After a month that will go down in Celtic history for all the wrong reasons, this finally felt like we had the real Celtic back.
Long may it continue.
Conall McGinty
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I HOPE WE ARE LOOKING AT BOWIE OF HIBS AND MASWANAWHISE OF MOTHERWELL ,TWO PLAYERS WE NEED HH
Dont mention the Araujo red card incident?
Keep quiet about that one,of course.
Well done ref again.