Martin O’Neill is relieved to have the continuity of Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham on his Celtic staff.
As Celtic players returned for pre-season training on Friday, the club finally announced that O’Neill’s two assistants would be staying on after weeks of delay.
Fotheringham and Maloney had played a huge part in both of the Irishman’s interim spells, so the hold-up in securing their futures drew widespread negative reactions.
However, long-serving Hoops assistant Gavin Strachan has departed the club himself, and O’Neill said he was disappointed to be losing the 47-year-old.
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Martin O’Neill: ‘Important’ to secure backroom staff
Speaking to Celtic TV, O’Neill said: O’Neill said: “I thought it was very important, because we gelled together, as much as anything else.
“I suppose, because the end result was that we won, then you start to feel, ‘Oh, it was half decent’…
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“I think it was half decent! Even if we hadn’t won. But of course, if you don’t win, the club has every right to look at other things, to look at younger people coming into the football club — I’m talking in terms of management.
“Me, saying a change in that direction could be good.
“But just at this moment, maybe it’s the right thing. Who knows if it’s the right thing. Only results will tell.
“But getting back to your point, it’s nice to have the staff back. You just mentioned Gavin, who is a very important cog in all proceedings.
“I’m disappointed that he’s leaving, but I can understand why. I know he gets closer to home as well, and he’s working at a very, very good football club. So we do wish him well.”
On recruitment, he said: “We’ll get pre-season, try and get a couple of players in to augment the squad and try and get going.
“First of all, we’re talking about trying to augment the squad.
“Secondly, it’s getting players prepared both physically and mentally for those games, and that becomes very, very important.”
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Martin O’Neill’s impact in the 2025-26 season at Celtic
Upon the sudden resignation of Brendan Rodgers, we were also given the news that O’Neill would return to Glasgow after six years away from football management.
Any questions over his age were completely quashed as the Hoops won seven of their eight games under his interim charge… only to make way for the disastrous reign of Wilfried Nancy.
Upon his return, the team’s form picked up again, but a league and cup double looked a long shot.
23 games, 19 wins and just two defeats later… O’Neill delivered a double that nobody foresaw… or wanted, outside of Celtic Park.
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