Martin O'Neill’s legacy at Celtic is unquestionable – he is revered as a club legend – yet recent setbacks have sparked a debate about whether a change is required before the situation deteriorates into a full‑blown crisis. The 74‑year‑old manager has already hinted that he will assess the season and decide if it is "time to wrap it up" after Celtic’s 1‑0 defeat to Rangers at Parkhead. That loss marked the second defeat to their Old Firm rivals within a single week, a week that also saw Celtic fall 3‑1 to Ferencvaros in the Europa League. Each display has been as troubling as the last, leaving supporters uneasy about the remainder of the campaign, especially with the international break looming.
Celtic began their defence of the Scottish Premiership crown with six consecutive victories, yet many of those wins were far from convincing. Their dramatic collapse in the Champions League play‑off against LASK – squandering a 4‑0 lead to lose 5‑4 on aggregate – raised serious questions about O'Neill’s tactics and the squad’s mental resilience. The disappointment continued with a lacklustre showing against Rangers in the Scottish League Cup, followed by the humbling Europa League defeat. The pressure intensified when the Hoops were beaten 1‑0 by their arch‑rivals in front of a 60,000‑strong home crowd.
Although Celtic remain atop the league heading into a three‑week international hiatus, their lead has dwindled to a precarious two points rather than the eight‑point cushion they once enjoyed. It is tempting to lay the blame solely at the manager’s feet when results falter, but the club’s challenges run deeper than a single individual’s decisions.
Last season saw fan protests aimed at the board, and calls for structural change have not faded. Criticism has also been directed at the timing and quality of the summer signings.
While marquee acquisitions such as Kasper Høgh and Camilo Duran arrived before the Champions League exit, Celtic later splashed nearly £20 million on Mika Baur, Haissem Hassan and Joel van den Berg just before the transfer window closed. O'Neill is still experimenting with how best to integrate these newcomers alongside five other late signings, but so far the results have been underwhelming. He has rotated midfield options without finding a settled formula and even omitted his wingers entirely in Sunday’s Old Firm defeat, opting instead for a five‑defender line‑up and pushing Kieran Tierney further forward. The experiment produced the same disappointing outcome.
Celtic have claimed 14 of the last 15 league titles, often succeeding despite the sale of key players. Some supporters argue that prolonged domestic dominance has bred complacency at the board level, and now a more formidable challenge from Rangers and Hearts is exposing any lingering weaknesses. The summer’s spending spree has raised expectations, yet many fans fear that a season without silverware would send a clear message: having vast financial resources is insufficient without the right personnel on the pitch.
Scottish football is notorious for rapid shifts in fortune, and Celtic could find themselves on the wrong side of that pendulum if issues are not addressed swiftly. O'Neill’s relationship with Celtic is not new. He returned as interim manager twice last season, stabilising a floundering side and guiding them to an unexpected league‑and‑cup double. After those interim stints, the 74‑year‑old chose to retire from the sidelines, only to accept a permanent role at Parkhead 21 years after his first spell concluded.
During his initial tenure, O'Neill delivered seven major trophies and steered Celtic to a UEFA Cup final in 2003, establishing a side that was notoriously difficult to beat. By contrast, the current squad appears vulnerable, with opponents finding ways to exploit tactical naivety and a lack of cohesion.
Celtic’s faithful love O'Neill, but even the most ardent supporters are beginning to wonder whether it might be time for him to step aside. He made bold tactical changes after the Ibrox loss, hoping to spark a turnaround ahead of the Europa League tie with Ferencvaros, but those adjustments fell flat.
Further alterations for the Rangers match also failed to produce the desired effect. There remains a possibility that O'Neill can still replicate last season’s achievements, but if he cannot resolve the squad’s deeper problems, he risks ending the campaign without any trophies, which would tarnish an otherwise illustrious legacy. Amid the gloom, it is easy to forget that Celtic still sit atop the Scottish Premiership table.
After the recent defeat, O'Neill told Sky Sports that he does not believe "there's very much between the teams" and insisted that "the history of the club proves it will fight back" from a week of turmoil. He called for perspective, adding: "It's concerning. Is it a disaster?
I don't think so. We have to rethink and reset." His assessment is realistic – the season is far from over. Celtic have completed only seven of their 38 league fixtures and still have seven Europa League matches remaining. The current turbulence could still resolve into another successful season for the Hoops if the manager and board can find the right formula.
Upcoming fixtures provide both a test and an opportunity: October 11 sees Motherwell travel to Celtic (kick‑off 12 pm, live on Sky Sports), followed by a Europa League clash with Benfica on October 15 (8 pm). The league match against Hearts on October 18 (3 pm) and another Europa tie with Celta Vigo on October 22 (8 pm) will further test the squad’s depth. Later in the month, Celtic host Hibernian (12 pm, Sky Sports) and Dundee United (7.45 pm) as they continue their pursuit of the title. In summary, while the immediate outlook appears fraught with challenges, Celtic’s position at the summit of the league, combined with a relatively early stage in the campaign, means there is still ample time for O'Neill to implement necessary changes.
Whether he can adapt his tactics, integrate the new signings effectively, and restore confidence among the fans will determine if this season adds another chapter to his storied tenure or becomes a cautionary tale of missed opportunities.