NafisaMartin O’Neill has delivered a pointed response to the media scrutiny surrounding Celtic in recent weeks, insisting that what matters most is whether his players believe in themselves rather than what pundits, supporters or critics are saying from the outside.
The Celtic manager has found himself at the centre of intense debate following the club’s recent Old Firm defeats, with questions raised about his position and whether he remains the right man to lead the team forward.
The discussion became even louder when O’Neill admitted he would reflect on his future during the international break. His comments fuelled speculation that he could walk away from Celtic, with several prominent voices questioning whether he would remain in the dugout.
Paul Slane predicted that O’Neill would “walk”, while former Celtic midfielder Paul Lambert suggested that his departure would not surprise him. Stephen McGowan, Graham Spiers and Hugh Keevins also discussed the possibility of O’Neill leaving during a conversation on Clyde, although they stopped short of firmly predicting that he would resign.
O’Neill ultimately remained in charge, but his admission gave critics further material to discuss at a time when Celtic were already under pressure to deliver better performances.
The experienced manager later acknowledged that publicly expressing doubts about his position had been a mistake, describing it as a moment of weakness.
However, Celtic’s emphatic 7-1 demolition of Hearts on Sunday offered a timely response on the pitch, giving O’Neill and his players something positive to build on after the disappointment of their European defeat to Benfica.
And ahead of Thursday’s Europa League meeting with Celta Vigo, the Celtic boss made it clear that outside opinions would not determine how he approached the challenge facing his team.
Speaking on Celtic Player, O’Neill questioned how his comments were being interpreted and stressed that the players’ belief had always been his priority.
“Well, the interesting thing you talk about the media, in all honesty, is that I know whatever you say, it’ll go whatever way they want it to go. But I was really positive about the second half.
“I told the players in the dressing room after the Benfica game that that’s it, we’ve got to take the positive side of it, otherwise you just might as well lie down.
“I wasn’t widely bothered about what media or fanzines were saying at the end of it all, as long as the players believed it was the most important thing. And they certainly did.
“We had great moments on Sunday, it was lovely to win, it was lovely to score the goals that we did. And now we’ve got a massive game on Thursday to try and win, to try and get back into that competition.”
Those remarks underline O’Neill’s determination to focus on the dressing room rather than allow the debate surrounding his future to dominate preparations for Celtic’s next fixture.
His reference to the media taking comments in whichever direction it chooses will also resonate with supporters who have watched the speculation intensify since Celtic’s disappointing run of results.
The 7-1 victory over Hearts certainly gave O’Neill grounds for optimism. Celtic played with confidence, attacked relentlessly and punished their opponents throughout an afternoon that provided a welcome lift for the players and supporters.
Callum Osmand scored twice on his first professional start, while Benjamin Nygren also grabbed a brace as Celtic produced one of their most emphatic performances of the campaign.
But one domestic victory, however convincing, cannot erase the questions that have emerged following the defeats against Rangers and Benfica. O’Neill will know that Celtic need to demonstrate consistency if he is to quieten the criticism and restore confidence in the direction of the team.
Thursday’s clash with Celta Vigo therefore carries considerable importance. Celtic desperately need three points to strengthen their position in the Europa League, and another disappointing result would inevitably bring renewed scrutiny.
There could also be a different atmosphere around Celtic Park, with the lack of noise from the North Curve potentially presenting another challenge for the home side.
O’Neill may insist that media reaction is secondary to the belief inside his dressing room, but the next test will be whether Celtic can carry the intensity and attacking quality displayed against Hearts into European competition.
For now, the manager has made his position clear: he believes the players responded positively after Benfica, and he is focused on the task ahead rather than the outside debate.
The performance against Hearts provided an encouraging starting point. A strong result against Celta Vigo would give O’Neill another opportunity to show that Celtic’s recovery is about more than one memorable afternoon.
Nafisa
