Why Is Sebastian Tounekti Still Getting So Many Opportunities For Celtic? Today’s Inclusion Was A Terrible Call From Martin O’Neill.

Martin O’Neill has to take his share of responsibility for Celtic’s 3-0 defeat at Ibrox, and one decision in particular left me completely baffled.

Why was Sebastian Tounekti starting?

This isn’t about hammering a player because he had one poor derby. My concern is that I’ve watched Tounekti for long enough now and I’m still struggling to understand what he’s bringing to this Celtic team.

The numbers aren’t exactly fighting his corner either, nor will I.

Tounekti has made 33 league appearances for Celtic since arriving, producing just two goals and two assists.

This season he’s played in all six Premiership matches without registering either – and he has been rank rotten in them all.

Two goals and two assists from 33 league appearances.

For a Celtic wide player, that’s nowhere near enough.

Yet there he was starting at Ibrox ahead of other attacking options, showing zero attacking intentions whatsoever.

Haissem Hassan is perhaps understandable with the information we’ve learned since. O’Neill revealed afterwards that Hassan had an issue overnight which influenced the decision not to start him.

But James Forrest was available.

Yep, In 2026 I am still suggesting James Forrest for a starting role in a Glasgow Derby.

Recruitment, eh?

Even stranger is what happened once Hassan entered at half-time.

Suddenly Celtic appeared desperate to get him involved. Find Hassan. Give him the ball. Let him try to make something happen.

Don’t be under any illusions, that was a clear tactic as soon as he appeared for the second half.

Which begs an obvious question.

If he’s the player you’re looking towards when you’re chasing the game, what exactly did Tounekti offer beforehand?

And what was it you had expected/hope he would deliver based on his entire Celtic career so far?

I watched him receive possession and repeatedly look for safety.

Back to Kieran Tierney.

Inside towards Callum McGregor.

Safe, safe, safe.

Where were the attempts to isolate and beat his man?

Where were the dangerous deliveries?

There was one hopeful ball into the area, but that’s exactly what it felt like — hope rather than conviction.

Celtic needed somebody willing to make Rangers uncomfortable. Instead we had a winger who seemed more interested in retaining possession than doing something damaging with it.

Tick boxing at it’s finest.

Maybe that’s part of a wider problem.

Are Celtic becoming so rigid with this 4-3-3 that simply being able to occupy the designated position gets you selected ahead of somebody who might actually offer more?

Because I’m struggling to understand how Tounekti currently gets into this side ahead of Forrest when Hassan isn’t considered fit enough to start.

Forrest is 35 years old, but if I’m picking someone for a cup quarter-final at Ibrox, I’ll take a player who understands this fixture and isn’t frightened to try something over safety for safety’s sake.

O’Neill said afterwards that part of his selection thinking was allowing players to “experience the Ibrox atmosphere.”

What the actual f**k.

That’s exactly what worries me.

A cup quarter-final against Rangers isn’t work experience.

It’s there to be won.

Tounekti has been given opportunities. Plenty of them.

At some stage Celtic have to stop judging attacking players on what they might eventually become and start judging them on what they’re actually producing.

Right now, his league record for Celtic reads two goals and two assists from 33 appearances.

Today offered very little evidence that another start is going to change that.

So I’ll ask it again.

What exactly is Sebastian Tounekti doing to justify his place in this Celtic team?

Because after Ibrox, I’m struggling more than ever to find the answer.

It isn’t all on him today, far from it. But we have to start scrutinising these decisions and selections somewhere.