Martin O'Neill Reflects on Celtic's Challenges and Plans After Wake-Up Call Season
Martin O'Neill has acknowledged having doubts before accepting the permanent managerial role at Celtic.
O'Neill describes last season as a "wake-up call" for the double-winning Celtic side, but questions remain about whether the club is responding swiftly enough this summer.
In his first interview since being appointed permanent manager on a one-year contract, the 74-year-old anticipates "a tough old time" ahead for the Scottish champions in the upcoming campaign.
Following Celtic's dramatic final-day victory over long-time leaders Hearts to secure the title, O'Neill is preparing for another intense competition involving Hearts and Rangers.
"I think Rangers will get stronger, and Hearts won't go down without a fight, there's no question about that," O'Neill told Celtic TV.
"I felt every single time that we played matches [last season] the teams were getting closer to Celtic than perhaps ever before, certainly in recent times, so those are concerns."
Despite these concerns, the pace of activity at Parkhead does not suggest a strong sense of urgency.
After leading Celtic to a league and Scottish Cup double during his second interim spell, O'Neill's permanent appointment was confirmed on 11 June, nearly three weeks after the season ended.
It took an additional two weeks before his backroom staff were finalized, coinciding with the players' return for pre-season training. The coaching team is relatively lean following Gavin Strachan's departure to West Brom.
"I thought that was very important," O'Neill said regarding the signings of Fotheringham and Maloney for the upcoming season.
"We gel together as much as anything else and I suppose, because the end result was that we won, then you start to feel that it was half decent. So it's nice to have the staff back."
Celtic's squad requires urgent reinforcements and enhanced quality, yet they remain one of only two Premiership clubs, alongside Motherwell, without any new signings so far.
Including loanees, the list of departures this summer could reach double figures, with uncertainty surrounding the futures of key players Daizen Maeda, Arne Engels, and Benjamin Nygren.
The absence of new arrivals is notable in contrast to Hearts, who have already signed seven players as part of their squad rebuild. Rangers, now managed by Derek McInnes after his move from Hearts, have acquired Tynecastle striker Lawrence Shankland and Scotland international Ross McCrorie from Bristol City.
O'Neill on Celtic's Title Win and Champions League Importance
Celtic secured their 14th Premiership title in 15 years last season by finishing two points ahead of Hearts, thanks to a final-day victory.
As O'Neill focuses on preparations for the new season, he has had limited opportunity to fully reflect on last season's achievement.
"I feel as if, no it hasn't [sunk in]," O'Neill said.
"If I'd no longer been at the football club, I think I would have more time to digest it and say, oh that was really great, surreal.
It feels as if you're just back in again, and so I probably haven't got the time. Maybe the first league game at Celtic Park, maybe I'll think about it then, but genuinely, no I don't think it has really sunk in."
The demanding nature of the role and the title triumph left O'Neill uncertain about taking the post permanently this summer. However, the prospect of future regret motivated him to continue.
"It was strange in the sense that if I'd been asked about it a day after we'd done it, I don't think I would have had the energy," he said.
"And I suppose deep down really, if I felt okay by maybe late July, August or September time and things had moved on without me, then you think, oh gosh, maybe I would like to have stayed on.
So I tried to project myself a couple of months further forward."
The Champions League also factored into his decision. Celtic's play-off tie, with the first leg scheduled for 18 or 19 August, is a significant focus, and O'Neill understands the competition's importance to the club.
Last summer, under Brendan Rodgers, Celtic suffered a disappointing exit in Champions League qualifying against Kazakhstan's Kairat Almaty, which set a difficult tone for the season.
"Absolutely vital," O'Neill said about reaching the group stage.
"If we're going to do it, first of all, we're talking about trying to augment the squad. Secondly, it's getting players prepared both physically and mentally for those games, and that becomes very, very important.
The disappointment of last season, not making it into the Champions League because of having a good run the previous year, I think that carried over to league performances. Malaise is far too strong a word but disappointment and concern about everything and as a consequence I think we fell down a little bit but we raised it at the end.
Now this tie that we will be in, whoever it may be, becomes very important."
O'Neill Plans Style Changes at Celtic
Beyond squad rebuilding, O'Neill intends to modify Celtic's style of play.
During his interim spells last season, he was cautious about implementing too many changes to avoid destabilizing the team, especially after the unsuccessful tenure of Wilfried Nancy.
With a full pre-season ahead, supporters can expect to see adjustments in the team's approach.
O'Neill referenced the powerful, direct, and attacking Celtic side from his first successful tenure at the club around the start of the century as a model for his vision.
"I think I can marry both in many aspects," he said. "By that I mean have us play in the manner in which the side maybe 25 years ago [played]. We played very quickly, played with a dash and with a lot of very, very fine players and I think we can marry both.
When we have possession of the ball it's great to keep it and absolutely right, but I'd like us to keep it for a purpose."
The Northern Irishman is also looking forward to having more time to work with the players than he had last term.
"I think the players can take to it but the best way to do it and the best way to make these little subtle changes is actually through pre-season," he added.
"It's working with the players every single day. We had a rush of games last season including European games, four games in eight or nine days, and you never get a chance to do any of that [subtle change], pre-season will give you that."
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