Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has never been one to hide behind clichés, and his recent comments show that hasn’t changed. While some coaches prefer polished PR answers, O’Neill tends to speak plainly.
This week, his remarks about Celtic’s recruitment will have struck a chord with a large section of the support. In an interview with Sky Sports — conducted by his former striker Chris Sutton — O’Neill admitted he has not been fully convinced by the club’s transfer work.
The conversation had originally been planned to air before Celtic’s trip to Pittodrie to face Aberdeen, but after the match was postponed, the full interview was released on Sky Sports’ YouTube channel. Within it was a section many fans will latch onto. Calmly and without drama, O’Neill effectively conceded that Celtic’s recruitment has not met the level expected at a club of this size.
When asked whether things changed following Paul Tisdale’s exit and if there had been a lack of proper planning behind the scenes, O’Neill didn’t sidestep the issue. Speaking with Sutton in a relaxed, familiar setting, he was notably open.
“If you’re asking me honestly,” he said, “I wasn’t totally convinced about the recruitment for Celtic Football Club.”
It was not an attack on those above him — he made clear he respects the people who brought him back — but it was the kind of honest reflection supporters rarely hear from inside the club.
O’Neill also highlighted what Celtic’s ambitions should look like.
“It is still a big club, and the ambition of the football club is to play big European matches… to be involved in big European games.”
His point was about standards matching the stature of Celtic.
Supporters have questioned the club’s transfer approach for years. Business often feels rushed, late, or reactive, with the squad appearing patched together rather than carefully built. Hearing the manager admit he had doubts about recruitment feels like confirmation of those long-held concerns.
This isn’t fan frustration on social media — it’s coming from someone who has managed Celtic successfully and knows how the club operates when it is strong and decisive in the market.
To be fair, O’Neill acknowledged the difficulties of the January window and said he was reasonably satisfied overall. He also noted the club’s decision to turn down significant bids for key players, particularly Arne Engels. Still, for fans uneasy about the direction of the club, his words carried weight. When someone as measured as O’Neill says he wasn’t convinced, it suggests deeper issues than just perception.
It stands as one of the most grounded and honest assessments heard from within Celtic in some time.
That honesty contrasts with previous messages from the boardroom. Late last year, Celtic Collective representatives met CEO Michael Nicholson, who insisted the club’s strategy was sound. Major shareholder Dermot Desmond also argued that poor results were not down to strategy, instead placing responsibility on Brendan Rodgers.
Those comments came before the decision to appoint Wilfried Nancy mid-season — a manager expected to overhaul Celtic’s style during a crucial run of fixtures, including a cup final. Many supporters struggle to understand how Nicholson remains in position after backing the recruitment structure under Tisdale and approving the Nancy project.
Celtic must now wait to learn when the postponed Aberdeen match will be rescheduled. The delay leaves them playing catch-up, but if the fixture is rearranged quickly, they still have a chance to narrow the gap on Hearts.
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