NafisaMartin O’Neill has delivered a pointed response to the growing criticism of his management at Celtic, with the experienced boss appearing to take aim at supporters and critics who have questioned his tactical decisions and suggested he is no longer the right man for the job.
The Celtic manager has come under scrutiny following a series of performances that have raised questions about the team’s organisation, attacking structure and ability to control matches.
Those concerns intensified after the frustrating 2-2 draw against Dundee United, when captain Callum McGregor openly admitted that Celtic were struggling to function as a properly balanced team.
McGregor’s comparison of Celtic to a basketball team that repeatedly loses control of possession attracted considerable attention, particularly because it highlighted problems with the team’s tactical structure.
But while O’Neill has accepted that improvements are needed, he has also made it clear that he is unhappy with the way some of the criticism surrounding Celtic is being presented.
And his latest comments suggest he believes certain voices are doing more than simply questioning his decisions.
O’Neill sends blunt message to Celtic critics
The Celtic manager appeared particularly irritated by suggestions that the difficulties on the pitch reflect deeper divisions within the squad.
With criticism mounting over his tactical approach, O’Neill insisted that people should not attempt to manufacture problems inside the dressing room.
He said: “I come in here [to the press conference] every single week and I’m most of the time pretty buoyed by things.
“Don’t try and throw a lot of divides in. At the end of the day, we’re doing fine.”
It was a firm response from the veteran manager, who appears determined to defend the progress being made despite the growing frustration among sections of the Celtic support.
O’Neill believes the current situation needs to be viewed in the context of the changes within his squad, rather than treated as evidence that everything is going wrong.
Several players arrived late during the transfer window, while a number of others did not complete pre-season preparations with the team.
The manager believes those circumstances have made it difficult for Celtic to develop the understanding and consistency expected from a settled side.
He explained: “A lot of lads here didn’t even do pre-season with us. A number of players came in quite late on, so it will take time for us.
“So we need to hang in there, and at this minute I think we’re hanging in.”
Celtic manager defends domestic progress
O’Neill also pointed towards Celtic’s position in the Scottish Premiership as evidence that the criticism should not completely overshadow what his team have achieved.
Despite the disappointing draw against Dundee United, Celtic remain four points clear at the top of the table.
The manager acknowledged that the advantage is not decisive at this stage of the campaign, but he remains satisfied with the team’s domestic performances.
He said: “I think we’ve done fine, we’re leading the league with a four-point gap at this minute, which is nothing at all at this stage of the season.”
O’Neill also reminded critics that Celtic have recovered from similar situations before, pointing out that they managed to retrieve leads on a couple of occasions last season.
However, he did concede that European football has been a different story, admitting that the club would welcome a couple of positive results in the competition.
“We’ll try and get a result or two in European football which would be nice, but domestically we’ve been fine.”
His defence is unlikely to silence every critic, particularly those who believe Celtic’s performances have fallen below expectations. But O’Neill clearly wants the team’s domestic position and the circumstances surrounding the squad to be considered before wider conclusions are drawn about his management.
Pressure builds ahead of crucial Falkirk encounter
The timing of O’Neill’s response is significant, with Celtic preparing for a difficult trip to Falkirk.
A victory would move the Hoops seven points clear of Rangers, who are facing Aberdeen in the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals.
However, O’Neill knows that Falkirk will provide a serious examination after improving considerably following what he described as a stodgy start to the campaign.
He warned: “Falkirk had a bit of a stodgy start, but they are flying now, so we know it’ll be a difficult game for us.”
For Celtic supporters, the immediate concern is whether O’Neill can translate his confidence into more convincing performances.
McGregor has already publicly acknowledged the problems with the team’s structure, while the manager has accepted that players need to be established in their proper positions.
The criticism surrounding O’Neill is therefore unlikely to disappear simply because Celtic remain top of the league.
His message, however, is unmistakable: he believes the squad deserves time to settle, insists that Celtic are doing fine domestically and has little patience for suggestions that the current difficulties should be turned into a story about divisions within the club.
Nafisa
