Martin O'Neill, the man at the helm of Celtic, is set to fine‑tune his tactical approach to get the most out of the squad’s standout talent, especially as he navigates the loss of Hyun‑jun Yang and welcomes back Kasper Høgh. The Danish forward, who has been sidelined for three matches with a lingering groin issue, left a noticeable void that was partially filled by Colombian striker Camilo Duran.
During Høgh’s absence, Duran took on the centre‑forward duties and made a significant impact, scoring three goals and providing the decisive assist for Yang in Celtic’s 2‑1 triumph over St Mirren on Saturday. He also had a goal ruled out for off‑side in a controversial decision, underscoring his growing influence in the attacking third. Although Duran initially made his name on the flanks, his background is that of a natural striker, having arrived at Celtic from Qarabağ with the intention of leading the line. His adaptability has given O'Neill a valuable alternative when the usual front‑two are unavailable.
Adding to the depth up front is 18‑year‑old Shim Mheuka, a Chelsea loanee who also saw a goal disallowed in the Paisley clash and has shown promise in two substitute appearances. Mheuka’s youthful energy and hunger for minutes make him a potential long‑term option, especially as he seeks to cement his place in the squad.
Further bolstering the attacking options is Callum Osmand, who is expected to return from an ankle injury next month. With South Korean winger Hyun‑jun Yang missing four games to compete in the Asian Games, O'Neill now has the flexibility to experiment with different formations.
One possibility is a return to the 3‑5‑2 system that he favored during his first spell as Celtic manager, a setup that could accommodate both the returning Høgh and the emerging talents of Duran and Mheuka. Ahead of the upcoming fixture against St Johnstone, O'Neill spoke to Sky Sports, emphasizing the importance of fitness and the desire to field his strongest XI. “We’ve got Kasper back the last couple of days and Kieran (Tierney) did a little bit of work with us, so we’ll have a look to see how they are. We have a couple of other fitness issues with players, but we’ll try to go as strongly as we possibly can,” the 74‑year‑old manager said.
He added that once the squad is fully fit, the focus will be on getting the best players onto the pitch. Regarding Shim Mheuka, O'Neill expressed optimism: “I expect decent things of Shim.
I expect him to do well. He’s just getting to know the players, getting to know what’s expected of him in terms of style of play, what we do with the ball and what we do without it.
It’s essentially what he does with the ball that will determine not only his time here, but his future in the game, and he looks like a player with a lot of potential. We definitely have got better options up front than we had last season.” Mheuka, an England youth international, echoed the manager’s confidence, stating his focus is on training hard, earning minutes, and making an impact whenever the chance arises.
“When you come on, you want to take that one opportunity that might come to you. It’s about staying positive, believing in yourself, and always putting yourself in the right positions.
You can’t get anywhere without self‑belief. We’re all where we are because we have confidence in our abilities,” he said. Beyond Celtic’s own concerns, O'Neill also praised the performance of Simo Valakari’s St Johnstone side, who have won their first two home Premiership matches.
“It’s nice to see really talented young managers doing well. They want to play football and they’re committed. There’s a vitality about them which is very, very encouraging. Not dissimilar in many aspects to what Craig McLeish is doing at St Mirren,” O'Neill observed.
In summary, O'Neill’s upcoming challenge is to blend the returning experience of Kasper Høgh with the rising form of Camilo Duran and the youthful promise of Shim Mheuka, while also managing the fitness of key players like Kieran Tierney and Callum Osmand. Whether he reverts to a 3‑5‑2 or sticks with his current setup, the goal remains the same: to field the strongest possible lineup and keep Celtic competing at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
The manager’s willingness to adapt tactics, experiment with personnel, and nurture emerging talent signals a proactive approach that could pay dividends as the season progresses.