Will Dermot Desmond And Nicholson Back Martin O’Neill This Summer In The Transfer Market?

Now the question of manager is done with Martin O’Neill set to return; the next question is whether Dermot Desmond is prepared to properly back him.

Because if there is one thing I refuse to believe, it’s that Martin O’Neill has signed on for potentially two more seasons without receiving assurances about what this rebuild is going to look like.

Martin O’Neill Isn’t Charity Work

One thing that seems to get forgotten whenever discussions turn to O’Neill is his stature within the game.

This isn’t somebody returning for nostalgia.

This isn’t a club ambassador being handed a tracksuit.

And this certainly isn’t charity work.

This is a man who has won two European Cups as a player, transformed Celtic two times now (once mid-season), won seven major honours in Glasgow, delivered a domestic treble in his first season, built a side that recorded 25 consecutive league victories and turned Celtic Park into a fortress in Europe.

Last season he dragged Celtic through one of the most horrific seasons in recent memory and somehow still delivered success.

People can talk about age all they want.

What age doesn’t remove are standards.

It doesn’t remove experience.

And it certainly doesn’t remove the ability to demand what is required to be successful.

If Martin O’Neill has agreed to return, I suspect he’s done so because he believes the club are prepared to listen.

The Last Great Rebuild

What’s interesting is how similar this summer feels to O’Neill’s first arrival in 2000.

Back then Celtic needed rebuilding.

Mark Viduka had departed.

The squad lacked quality.

The mentality needed changed.

Sound familiar?

O’Neill responded by signing proven footballers.

Chris Sutton from Chelsea.

Neil Lennon from Leicester City.

Alan Thompson from Aston Villa.

Joos Valgaeren from Roda JC.

Rab Douglas from Dundee.

Didier Agathe from Hibernian.

These weren’t development projects.

These weren’t players signed because somebody’s spreadsheet liked their potential resale value.

These were footballers capable of improving Celtic immediately.

The result?

A domestic treble in his first season.

And over a few seasons built one of the greatest Celtic teams many supporters have ever watched.

Experience, Leadership And Physicality

Long before his return became a realistic possibility at all and Brendan Rodgers was the manager, O’Neill had already spoken publicly in the media about areas where he felt the Celtic squad was lacking.

Experience.

Leadership.

Physicality.

It’s difficult to argue.

The squad needs more leaders.

It needs more personalities.

That’s why I expect O’Neill’s recruitment priorities to look very different from some of the transfer windows we’ve seen recently.

The days of collecting projects for the sake of projects may finally be ending.

The Type Of Players Celtic Should Be Looking At

Reports suggest O’Neill already has a list of potential signings prepared for board approval.

If that’s true, then I hope the profile of the player reflects the rebuild required.

Personally, I’d still revisit several names linked previously.

Kasper Høgh.

Niko Sigur.

Fares Ghedjemis.

Aurèle Amenda.

All four were linked at various stages last season, and all bring qualities Celtic need.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Ultimately, this summer won’t be judged by Martin O’Neill’s appointment.

It will be judged by what follows it.

Supporters have spent years hearing about ambition.

Years hearing about European progress and learning lessons after crap windows.

Now is the moment to prove it.

Because if Dermot Desmond genuinely wants Martin O’Neill to succeed, then he has to give him the tools to do so.

The first time O’Neill arrived, he was backed.

Brendan Rodgers was backed in his first spell and again upon his return.

Ange Postecoglou was backed when the rebuild demanded it.

That’s not unusual.

That’s what serious football clubs do when they appoint a manager they believe in.