Celtic’s Next Manager Problem Goes Far Deeper Than Martin O’Neill – We Are Stuck Between A Rock And A Hard Place And It is Infuriating Me.

There is a question Celtic supporters might soon have to ask, and I’m not convinced anyone at the club has a particularly reassuring answer.

What genuinely ambitious, progressive manager would want this Celtic job right now?

Martin O’Neill remains Celtic manager as I write this, and that has to be stressed. But three defeats in a week — twice against the Ibrox side and 3-1 at home to Ferencváros — have left him openly reflecting on his future.

So, naturally, we’re discussing what comes next.

For me, though, changing the manager is only half the conversation.

How Wide Would Celtic Really Cast The Net?

People will throw names around. They’ll talk about Celtic casting the net wide and finding the next progressive coach.

Will they?

Because I’ve got absolutely zero faith that Celtic’s version of casting the net wide resembles mine.

I can already imagine the little black book coming out.

Shaun Maloney. Neil Lennon. Robbie Keane. Roy Keane. Steve Clarke.

Perhaps another familiar name who understands the club, understands Scottish football and, most importantly, understands how Celtic operate.

To be absolutely clear, that’s my imagined shortlist, not information I’ve received.

There are managers Celtic could approach who would challenge everything. Forward-thinking coaches with modern ideas who would demand a recruitment operation matching their ambition.

Take somebody of the ilk of Thomas Frank. I’m not suggesting Celtic could simply phone him tomorrow and get him. That’s not the point.

I’m talking about the type.

Would Celtic genuinely want somebody accustomed to Premier League-level expectations coming through the door and demanding that every department operates accordingly?

That looks on in disbelief at the current set up and challenges all aspects of the club to improve?

I’m struggling with that one.

We’ve Seen This Movie Before.

Brendan Rodgers finally had Celtic making genuine Champions League progress in 2024/25. Celtic reached the knockout phase and eventually came within minutes of taking Bayern Munich to extra-time.

Yet Kyogo had been allowed to leave during that January window without Celtic signing a direct replacement.

Then look at O’Neill.

He delivered a league and Scottish Cup double last season. This summer he discovered the scale of the rebuild required after 14 players had departed.

These aren’t shrinking violets.

Rodgers and O’Neill have reputations, experience and enough standing within Celtic to speak their minds. Yet we’ve still watched the same old problems around recruitment, timing and ambition.

So imagine bringing in an ambitious younger coach without that clout.

How long before he’s banging his head against exactly the same wall?

Celtic’s Managerial Catch-22.

That’s where Celtic find themselves.

Keep the status quo and, based on the last week, there are legitimate concerns about where this team is heading.

Go into the board’s little black book and appoint another comfortable, familiar name, and what fundamentally changes?

Or genuinely cast the net wide, attract an ambitious progressive manager — and then ask him to operate within a structure that appears reluctant to match that ambition.

Even the ownership language annoys me. Dermot Desmond is routinely described as Celtic’s “owner”. He isn’t. Celtic has multiple shareholders; Desmond is its largest individual shareholder.

Whatever happens next, changing the name above the manager’s office isn’t enough.

Because Celtic’s biggest problem might no longer be identifying somebody capable of taking the club forward.

It might be convincing that person Celtic genuinely wants to go where they want to take us.

Keep Your Eyes On The Board.