Celtic have enjoyed a dominant footing in Scottish football for the vast majority of the 21st century and Martin O’Neill is responsible for laying the foundations for their long-term success.
The Irishman’s five-year stint in Glasgow brought three Scottish Premiership titles, a trio of Scottish Cup wins, one Scottish League Cup prize and the famous run to the UEFA Cup final in 2003.
After leaving Celtic in 2005, Martin O’Neill went on to enjoy success at Aston Villa, Sunderland, and the Republic of Ireland national side, among other places, before his last post at Nottingham Forest in 2019.
Still regularly lending his voice surrounding matters at the Bhoys in media circles, there is a general rule that when the legendary figure talks, others usually take note of what he is saying.
Now, Paul Lambert has revealed some insight into how O’Neill helped to transform Celtic following a dreary 1990’s period that yielded little in the way of silverware.
Paul Lambert on how Martin O’Neill transformed Celtic
Speaking to World Football Index, Lambert elaborated on why O’Neill was able to have such a marked impact at Celtic during his five years in charge.
He explained: “We needed a manager like Martin at that time—someone to come in and turn things around. The season before had been dreadful, and we were miles behind Rangers. There were still quality players at the club, but we needed significant help, someone to take charge and steer us in the right direction.
“That’s exactly what Martin did — he galvanised the squad, took it by the scruff of the neck, and got everyone onside. The team became relentless.
“People often ask me what the difference was between the Borussia Dortmund team and the Celtic team I played in, and the biggest compliment I can give is that while Borussia Dortmund was an untouchable, special side, Celtic wasn’t far behind.
“That’s the highest praise I can offer. The dressing room was incredibly strong, and we came so close to another European trophy.”
Celtic look to continue building on successes of the past
Brendan Rodgers isn’t a bad candidate to lead on from the likes of O’Neill that went before him when profiling the scope for Celtic to continue making history in the coming years.
The Bhoys managed to claim a domestic double last term, which didn’t come easy. However, they look to have stepped up the ante in their pursuit of further success this campaign.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  CelticCeltic | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 21 | 21 |
| 2 |  AberdeenAberdeen | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 21 |
| 3 |  RangersRangers | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 16 |
| 4 |  MotherwellMotherwell | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 13 |
Making a perfect start on league duty, Celtic have conceded just once and appear to be a threat worth fearing up the other end following a productive summer transfer window.
Now, the challenge is continuing their push for the title, starting with the Hoops’ top-of-the-table clash with Aberdeen on Saturday.
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