NafisaCeltic Next Manager to Take Over Has Been Revealed as Martin O’Neill Sack Call Looms After Horror Week
Martin O’Neill’s future at Celtic has suddenly become one of the biggest talking points in Scottish football after Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to Rangers brought a disastrous week for the Hoops to a painful conclusion.
Just seven days ago, Celtic were preparing to respond to a heavy Old Firm defeat and prove that it was merely a temporary setback.
Instead, things have gone in completely the opposite direction.
A 3-0 defeat to Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final was followed by a 3-1 home defeat against Ferencvaros in the Europa League.
Then came Rangers again.
This time at Celtic Park.
And once again, Celtic came away empty-handed.
Ryan Naderi’s 33rd-minute strike was enough to give Rangers a second consecutive victory over their biggest rivals, while Celtic’s players struggled to produce the response O’Neill had demanded.
The result means Celtic remain top of the Premiership, but their advantage over Rangers has been reduced to just two points.
More importantly, however, the defeat has changed the conversation around O’Neill.
What looked like a difficult week has now become a genuine question about whether the 74-year-old should remain in charge.
O’Neill has now opened the door himself
The biggest development after Sunday’s defeat did not come from the Celtic board or from a transfer insider.
It came from O’Neill himself.
The Celtic manager admitted that supporters are entitled to question whether he can turn the situation around and revealed that he intends to reflect on his position during the international break.
“I think there’s every reason to ask, you know, can you turn this round? Can you change the whole thing?”
Those words would have been significant enough.
But O’Neill went further.
“I genuinely will reflect and see. It’s a matter of whether I can help the team. If that’s the case, that’s the manager’s supposed to be able to do that.”
He also confirmed that he intends to speak with the Celtic board.
That leaves the club entering an international break with an unusually important decision potentially sitting on the table.
O’Neill has not resigned.
Celtic have not announced that he is leaving.
But the manager himself has acknowledged that his future requires reflection.
And after three defeats in eight days, the pressure around Parkhead is now considerably greater than it was before the Rangers game.
The problem is bigger than one Old Firm defeat
Had Celtic simply lost Sunday’s match after a competitive performance, the reaction would almost certainly have been different.
This defeat was the final piece of a much bigger puzzle.
The 3-0 loss at Ibrox exposed serious concerns.
The 3-1 defeat to Ferencvaros then created another wave of criticism.
And Sunday’s second defeat to Rangers made it three consecutive losses across three major competitions.
That is the sequence that has put O’Neill under genuine scrutiny.
Celtic supporters have already questioned whether the manager can restore the team’s energy and identity, while O’Neill himself acknowledged that his age will inevitably form part of the conversation whenever results turn against him.
“I think that every single time that something crops up, things don’t go so well, age plays a part. And you know what? They may well be right, you know?”
It was an extraordinary admission from a manager who guided Celtic to the league title after returning to the club.
And there was another line that will undoubtedly continue to fuel speculation.
“I will reflect on the games. I’ll obviously speak to the board. And, you never know, they may want to speak to me.”
Suddenly, the possibility of a change at the top no longer feels like something supporters are discussing in isolation.
O’Neill himself has acknowledged it.
Celtic still have a major decision to make
The timing makes everything even more interesting.
There is now a three-week international break, giving Celtic’s hierarchy time to assess the situation without an immediate fixture forcing their hand.
Celtic remain top of the Premiership and are still only two points ahead of Rangers.
That is an important fact and one that cannot simply be ignored.
But the direction of travel over the past week has been alarming.
The champions have suffered two defeats to their biggest rivals, lost at home in Europe and now face questions about whether the manager can reverse the decline before it becomes something more serious.
There is also the question of what happens if Celtic decide that O’Neill is no longer the long-term answer.
The club would need somebody capable of taking over during the season, stabilising the dressing room and attempting to restore the level of performance expected at Parkhead.
And there is already a name that has repeatedly appeared in discussions around the Celtic job.
The name Celtic could turn to
This is where the situation becomes particularly interesting.
Celtic have previously been linked with a manager who built an impressive reputation by taking a club from League One all the way back to the Premier League.
He has experience developing young players, building a team over several seasons and operating under the pressure of expectation.
More importantly, he is now available.
Kieran McKenna stepped down as Ipswich Town manager in June after guiding the club back to the Premier League, bringing an extraordinary four-and-a-half-year spell at Portman Road to an end.
He said at the time that he wanted to take a break from management and spend more time with his family.
But his name is not new to Celtic speculation.
McKenna was previously reported as one of the candidates considered when Celtic were looking for a permanent successor to Brendan Rodgers, alongside other names including Craig Bellamy.
That history means the former Ipswich boss could naturally return to the conversation if Celtic decide that O’Neill’s second spell has reached its conclusion.
There is, however, no confirmation that Celtic have appointed McKenna or that he has agreed to take over.
For now, that remains a potential scenario rather than a done deal.
But Sunday’s defeat has changed the context dramatically.
O’Neill has admitted that he will reflect.
He will speak to the board.
Celtic now have an international break in which to consider their options.
And if the club ultimately decides that a change is required, one of the names already familiar to the Parkhead managerial conversation is waiting in the background.
For Celtic supporters, the next three weeks could therefore be about much more than recovering from three defeats.
They could determine whether Martin O’Neill gets the chance to put things right — or whether Celtic begin the search for the man who could eventually take his place.
Kieran McKenna emerges as potential Celtic successor
If Celtic ultimately decide that Martin O’Neill’s time at the club has come to an end, attention will inevitably turn towards who could take charge next.
And one name already has a connection to the Parkhead job.
Kieran McKenna.
The former Ipswich Town manager has previously been linked with Celtic and would represent a completely different profile to O’Neill, having built his managerial reputation through player development, tactical organisation and a remarkable rise through the English football pyramid.
McKenna’s spell at Ipswich was particularly impressive.
He took over a side competing in League One and helped transform the club’s fortunes, ultimately guiding them into the Premier League before stepping away from the position in 2026.
His departure means he is currently available, although he has previously indicated that he wanted a break from management after his demanding spell at Portman Road.
That availability could become significant if Celtic’s current situation develops further.
McKenna was previously reported as a candidate when Celtic were considering their options for the permanent managerial position, meaning his name is already familiar to the club’s decision-makers.
The timing would therefore be intriguing.
O’Neill has now admitted that he will reflect on his future following Celtic’s damaging run of results, while the upcoming international break gives the club’s hierarchy an opportunity to assess the situation without an immediate match around the corner.
There is no confirmation that Celtic have approached McKenna or that he is being lined up to replace O’Neill.
But if the club ultimately decides that a managerial change is required, McKenna’s availability and previous links to the position would make him a name worth watching closely.
And after Sunday’s defeat to Rangers, that possibility has suddenly become far more relevant than it appeared only a few days ago.
Nafisa
