Despite sitting two points clear at the top of the Premiership, Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has confirmed he will use the ongoing international break to re-evaluate his position. The 74-year-old manager is reflecting on a challenging period for the club, which includes consecutive defeats to Rangers in the Old Firm derby, a home loss against Ferencvaros in the Europa League, and a frustrating Champions League exit to LASK in August after giving up a 4-0 aggregate lead.
O’Neill, who secured a league and Scottish Cup double last season while serving as interim boss, was appointed permanently during the summer. Acknowledging the pressure, the veteran manager noted he is not immune to criticism and believes it is necessary to consider the broader situation, specifically questioning if he is still the right person to reverse the team’s current momentum.
Paul Lambert, the former Celtic captain who played under O’Neill during the manager’s initial trophy-laden tenure between 2000 and 2005, remains a staunch supporter. While Lambert admitted he would not be surprised if O’Neill chose to step down voluntarily, he insisted that the club must not resort to firing him.
Describing the current situation as an overreaction, Lambert stated that O’Neill has significant credit in the bank, noting that fans were recently calling for a statue in his honor. He argued that it is unreasonable for opinions to swing from extreme praise to demands for dismissal so quickly.
Lambert, 57, ranked O’Neill as the club’s finest manager since Jock Stein. He suggested that if O’Neill felt the need to leave, the club should grant him the choice to depart on his own terms rather than forcing an exit. For Lambert, the focus remains clear: if the manager chooses to walk away, that is his prerogative, but he would be both shocked and disappointed if the board decided to sack him. The report also notes that o’Neill, who won another seven trophies with Celtic from 2000-05, when Lambert was playing, added: “I’m not immune from criticism.
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