Speaking on BBC Sportsound after Celtic’s dramatic title win, the debate turned to Martin O’Neill staying on as the permanent Parkhead gaffer.
I love Martin O’Neill. He will always be a Celtic legend. Nothing changes that. But there comes a point where sentiment has to stop driving major football decisions.
And as the dust starts to settle, will Celtic look to O’Neill to carry on or will the club try to bring in a permanent fresh face to take them forward next season?
Share us your message to Martin O’Neill, as Celtic down Hearts on the final day…
Celtic’s manager recruitment must look ahead
Now, let me stress once again. O’Neill is a complete legend and deserves every bit of credit for delivering this title. But should Celtic still be relying on him and does doing so point to deeper issues at the club?
On Sportsound, I said: “I think coming back to former managers to kind of save our season says more about Celtic’s ability to find a manager or not to find a manager to take us forward.
“I love Martin O’Neill. He will always be a legend. Again, I was old enough to remember the Seville run 2003. Our first treble since Jock Stein in 2001. So, the guy’s an absolute legend.
“He’s got the chance to do a double when many people wrote Celtic off this season. But I think the time probably is right for him to kind of step away with his head held high and leave as an ultimate legend now.
“I didn’t know if there is such a thing as that to be honest. But I definitely think Celtic need to get their finger out and try and find a manager who can take us forward and stop this over reliance on going back to back to the well.
“We’ve done it with Neil Lennon. We’ve done it with Brendan Rodgers. We’ve done it with Martin O’Neill. I think that cycle needs to stop now.”
This is bigger than Martin O’Neill
This is not criticism of O’Neill himself. In fact, this season only strengthened his legendary status. Celtic’s dramatic title win under his leadership and the possibility of a domestic double says everything about his ability to stabilise a dressing room in difficult circumstances.
Supporters trust him because they know exactly what he represents. He delivered one of the greatest eras in the club’s modern history with Seville, trophies and belief restored to Celtic Park. That emotional connection is real.
But that is exactly why the club have to be careful now.
Since 2019, Celtic have repeatedly turned back towards familiar faces during moments of uncertainty. Neil Lennon returned. Brendan Rodgers returned. O’Neill has now returned twice in the same season. At some stage, that stops looking like continuity and starts looking like a lack of long-term succession planning.
Even when those appointments bring short-term success, the wider questions do not disappear. Why does Celtic keep ending up in positions where the safest solution is revisiting the past?
The concern for me is not whether these managers are good enough. Their achievements speak for themselves. The concern is whether the club itself has a clear football structure that survives beyond individual personalities.
Celtic now need a manager built for the future
One of the reasons supporters embraced Ange Postecoglou so quickly was because he represented something fresh. He brought a modern identity, clear ideas and long-term direction. Whether supporters agreed with every decision or not, there was at least a feeling Celtic were moving forward rather than revisiting old ground.
That is why this next appointment feels important.
Martin O’Neill may still deliver a domestic double this season and if he does, he deserves enormous credit for it. But emergency success should not become the club’s long-term model.
Celtic need a manager appointment that is proactive rather than reactive. Someone identified through proper planning. Someone capable of building the next cycle instead of protecting memories from previous ones.
There is nothing wrong with respecting legends. Celtic should always honour people who delivered success to the club. But legends should not become permanent fallback plans every time things become difficult.
At some point, Celtic have to stop building tomorrow by revisiting yesterday.
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