Martin O’Neill has cut straight through the noise around James Forrest’s new Celtic deal, and his verdict leaves little room for debate.
Celtic’s decision to extend Forrest’s contract by another year has sparked the usual questions about loyalty and legacy.
But that does not hold up when the current evidence is laid out properly. Forrest’s role this season has once again been crucial as proven by his cameo performance in Celtic’s win against St Mirren at Hampden.
That is where O’Neill’s comments land with real weight.
Give us your immediate reaction to James Forrest signing a new contract
Celtic contract call is based on performance, not sentiment
When James Forrest signed a new one-year deal, the immediate reaction in some quarters will have leaned towards sentiment.
O’Neill has dismissed that outright, and his reasoning is grounded in what Forrest has actually delivered on the pitch.
The Celtic gaffer said, “I really want James to finish his career here at Celtic, and I just didn’t want him to be going elsewhere, and I think he wanted that as well. But the major point about taking anyone on is to know whether they’re worth an extra year and James has proved this season that he has been worth that.
“He has changed games and he has done wonderfully well. His contribution in recent weeks when he’s come off the bench has been absolutely terrific, and he has deserved it, and that’s the point.
“So, take sentimentality right out of it, he’s deserved it.
“He’s been immense for the football club since Neil Lennon brought him in when he was a young kid in the reserves, and he is what I love, I love players who take people on and he can take people on, even to have that little burst of pace at his age is worth its weight in gold.”
That is not a vague endorsement or a nod to past service. It is a direct assessment of what Forrest continues to deliver for Celtic, and it removes the idea that this deal is anything other than earned.
Celtic still rely on James Forrest in decisive moments
The argument holds up because Forrest’s performances continue to back it up.
His strong showing against St Mirren is a recent example of him stepping in and influencing the game when others failed to do so.
That matters in a squad where not every attacking option that O’Neill has at his disposal has been delivering for Celtic this season.
O’Neill’s point about Forrest changing games is bang on the money. And Celtic fans can see how he is still used, often from the bench, to shift the balance of games and give Celtic something different in the final stages.
There are not many players in the squad who provide that specific profile. That alone makes his presence valuable, especially when it continues to produce tangible impact.
The key point is simple.
This contract is not a reward for what Forrest was, it is recognition of what he still is.
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