NafisaCeltic are facing another uncomfortable period after their latest collapse, with the relationship between the dressing room and Martin O’Neill coming under renewed scrutiny.
A difficult run of performances has left supporters demanding answers, and Sunday’s 2-0 defeat to Falkirk has only intensified the frustration surrounding the club.
But one particular moment has brought Callum McGregor’s earlier comments back into the spotlight.
The Celtic captain had already raised concerns about the team’s tactical organisation following the 2-2 draw with Dundee United. His assessment was unusually revealing, with McGregor questioning the positioning of attacking players and the lack of control in Celtic’s performances.
O’Neill subsequently admitted that he agreed with his captain.
Now, following another damaging result, those comments have taken on a new significance. Questions are being asked about the manager’s methods, the team’s direction and whether the problems identified by McGregor have been properly addressed.
There is, however, no confirmed report of a physical dressing-room confrontation between McGregor and O’Neill. The real story is the growing scrutiny surrounding the team’s performances and the captain’s unusually direct assessment of what needs to change.
McGregor’s comments put O’Neill’s tactics under the spotlight
The warning signs emerged after Celtic’s 2-2 draw against Dundee United on October 28.
McGregor was clearly unhappy with aspects of the team’s structure, particularly the way attacking players were being positioned and how their natural instincts could affect the overall system.
He explained:
“The players behave like a winger, or they behave like a striker.”
The captain was referring to the difficulty of getting players to perform consistently when they are being used outside their natural positions.
He continued:
“You can get away with it for a few games but if it’s a striker playing as a winger, you are going to get that behaviour a lot of the time.”
It was a pointed observation from someone who has spent years operating within Celtic’s system.
Rather than blaming one player, McGregor appeared to be highlighting a wider tactical problem that needed attention from the coaching staff.
The Celtic captain also delivered a warning about the team’s performances
McGregor’s concerns were not limited to attacking positions.
He was also frustrated by the increasingly end-to-end nature of Celtic’s matches, suggesting that the team needed to regain control rather than constantly moving between attacking and defensive situations.
He said:
“You’ve got enough quality so you can score goals and get away with it. But we have to try to get the team functioning the way it should.”
That was arguably the most revealing part of his assessment.
McGregor was effectively saying that individual quality could disguise structural problems, but that Celtic could not continue relying on that to get results.
For a captain who has experienced several successful periods at the club, his words carried considerable weight.
O’Neill publicly agreed with McGregor
The situation became even more interesting when O’Neill was asked about his captain’s comments.
Rather than dismissing the criticism, the Celtic manager admitted that he agreed with McGregor’s assessment.
He pointed towards the different attacking profiles within his squad, explaining that Callum Osmand and Camilo Durán were both natural centre-forwards.
O’Neill said:
“I totally agree. Callum Osmand is actually a centre forward, I’ve said this before. He is essentially a centre forward that would probably play off of somebody strong alongside him. I’m not so sure that he could lead the line on his own.
“Duran is also a centre forward. So the players are getting to know each other and it’s really as simple as that. I’m in total agreement with Callum.
“We’ll sort it out.”
That final promise has now become particularly important.
Celtic travelled to Falkirk needing a convincing response, but instead produced another disappointing performance that left O’Neill facing fresh questions.
Falkirk defeat makes the situation even worse
Celtic’s 2-0 defeat was another damaging setback in a season that has become increasingly difficult to manage.
Ethan Ross opened the scoring inside three minutes after a mistake from Cameron Carter-Vickers, giving Falkirk an early advantage.
Scott Tanser then doubled the lead in the 38th minute, leaving Celtic with a mountain to climb before half-time.
The visitors had opportunities to get back into the game, with Durán hitting the post and Scott Bain making important saves, but they failed to find a response.
The result was especially concerning because it followed O’Neill’s acknowledgement that the team needed to improve its structure.
McGregor’s earlier comments were not specifically about the defensive mistakes that cost Celtic against Falkirk. However, they exposed a wider concern about how the team was functioning, and Sunday’s performance did little to silence those concerns.
Scottish football waiting for Celtic’s response
The pressure is now on O’Neill to demonstrate that he can address the problems being identified by his own captain.
Celtic have another demanding week ahead, beginning with Thursday’s Europa League meeting with Beşiktaş before Sunday’s Scottish Premiership clash against Kilmarnock.
McGregor’s words have placed the tactical discussion firmly in the spotlight, while the Falkirk defeat has made it increasingly difficult for the manager to avoid questions about the team’s direction.
There is no verified dressing-room scuffle between the captain and manager, but the footballing disagreement at the heart of the discussion is significant enough.
McGregor identified the problems. O’Neill agreed that they needed fixing. Now Celtic supporters want to see evidence that anything has actually changed.
Nafisa
