Celtic Bombshell as Stephen McGowan Reveals Dermot Desmond Stance on Martin O’Neill
Stephen McGowan says Dermot Desmond has no intention of sacking Martin O'Neill – but his wider assessment of Celtic may be even more significant.
Phillip Cooney 
The uncertainty surrounding Martin O’Neill’s Celtic future has taken another fascinating turn – and respected journalist Stephen McGowan has offered perhaps the clearest indication yet of what is happening behind the scenes.
The message appears remarkably simple.
Dermot Desmond is not preparing to sack Martin O’Neill.
If the Celtic manager leaves, the decision could be his.
Speaking on BBC Scotland’s Scottish Football Podcast, McGowan said:
That is significant.
O’Neill publicly admitted after the 1-0 defeat to Rangers that he intended to reflect on his future during the international break.
Now McGowan believes Desmond has no intention of forcing the issue.
Celtic Decision Could Rest With O’Neill
McGowan went even further, saying there was “no question of Celtic expediting this process” and adding:
“So it will be entirely down to Martin.”
If McGowan’s assessment is correct, Celtic’s managerial situation has effectively become a waiting game.
That raises another enormous question.
What are Celtic doing while they wait?
Michael Nicholson has publicly promised to support O’Neill. Desmond, according to McGowan, has no intention of dismissing him.
But neither position guarantees that O’Neill will actually stay.
The manager himself created this uncertainty.
After Sunday’s defeat, he acknowledged that he would undertake a period of self-reflection and consider what he could still do for the team.
Celtic therefore cannot simply assume everything will return to normal.
McGowan Identifies Celtic’s Bigger Problem
Perhaps even more damaging for the Celtic hierarchy were McGowan’s wider comments.
Discussing whether O’Neill would want to continue, the journalist described Celtic as a “slightly dysfunctional football club.”
He highlighted the absence of a director of football and questions surrounding the club’s recruitment structure.
McGowan also argued that O’Neill has become the “lightning rod” for supporters’ frustration because senior figures rarely make themselves publicly available.
That gets to the heart of Celtic’s problem.
O’Neill is standing in front of cameras answering questions while the people responsible for the club’s long-term structure remain largely removed from public scrutiny.
Whatever supporters think about recent performances, Celtic’s problems cannot simply be deposited at the manager’s door.
Celtic Must Prepare for Both Outcomes
O’Neill may return refreshed and determined to continue.
If so, Celtic must support him properly.
But if he decides his second spell as permanent manager should end, the club cannot afford to look surprised.
This international break provides Celtic with valuable time.
Potential successors should be identified. Availability should be established. Contingency plans should already exist.
That does not mean undermining O’Neill.
It means running Celtic like a serious football operation.
McGowan’s information suggests Desmond is leaving the decision with a manager he clearly respects enormously.
That is understandable.
But Celtic’s responsibility extends beyond one individual.
The club must be prepared for O’Neill to stay.
And it must be equally prepared for him to walk away.
Because if O’Neill decides enough is enough, the biggest question will immediately move from the dugout to the boardroom:
Were Celtic actually ready for it?
Key Takeaways
- Stephen McGowan believes Dermot Desmond has no intention of sacking Martin O’Neill.
- McGowan says O’Neill’s future will effectively be his own decision.
- He has also described Celtic as a “slightly dysfunctional football club.”
- O’Neill is considering his position during the international break.
- Celtic’s hierarchy must have a succession plan ready regardless of Desmond’s support for O’Neill.
Slightly dysfunctional? That’s an understatement, they’re the most incompetent board in British football.
The manager thinks he might not be able to do much more and the team says they haven’t got a clue what the tactics are and the board thinks that’s okay?
The board must end his team here at once but does anyone really think that they can appoint a manager who can take us forward? Of course they can’t.
How has desmond the power to sack anyone
That, in a nutshell, is the question that fully demonstrates how deeply dysfunctional our club currently is.
I was asking myself the same question whilst reading the article.
Can’t believe the attitude off this board they’ve caused the decrease in champions league money by not backing the manager’s targets so as far am concerned it’s all on them
Martin admit the job is to big for you now, the board are no help, they will let you take the blame, signing have been a flop as usual last minute signing, only club in the world who sells best players and buy worst, just to make a profit, and disrespect the fans
What the board should be telling us is why none of the three midfielders (Mahmic, Sigur and Gineitis) identified as strong targets who supposedly wanted to come to the club materialised; why they failed to sign a proper keeper like Nick Pope; and why they allowed Saracchi and Iheanacho to go elsewhere when they were already part of the team and loved by the fans. £66m sits in the bank, down on last year, but if we’d spent another £25m, we could have had all those players, we’d not have blown a 4-0 lead in seventy minutes (with a minimum £40m to come from CL involvement) and we’d not have had the embarrassment of two pumpings from Rangers because our midfield has no legs.
I don’t get how people talk about us doing this or that, when ofc they’ll do the same as always, nothing. Is it the most extreme form of optimism?, cognitive dissonance?, blind faith?, what is it?, cause I’m stumped.
Martin O’Neil will continue to fulfill his function of being a shield for deliberate sabotage, while Desmond continues to restore Rangers* to their rightful place. He may even carry on, and further dismantle our club, just to show who is the boss, wouldn’t surprise me in the least.
He has no regard for Celtic or anyone else, other than himself, and further enrichment. We are still some way from hitting the bottom, and don’t be surprised if the ‘smartest man in the room’ decides we need taught a lesson, and continues the sabotage until the Huns are well ahead. Paranoid?, we’ll see.
The most important question for any fan is ‘why is Celtic a slightly disfunctional’ football club ? Why for Christ sakes when there has been total domestic bliss and success and triumphs and riches won while the tribute act masquerade as a relevant opposition clumpany playing failure to catch-up ? Why has this been allowed to happen by the board and they are getting away with it as the chaos unfolds before us ? Why …why ? We are definitely missing something that’s been happening behind closed doors ? Something which is so overpowering that it allows the board to let this madness happen yet remains unspoken of and unseen by any fan ! It’s time to do some serious sniffing around . There has to be something we are all missing in this …there has to be ?
Three bad results and we are hitting the panic button 🤷🏼♂️
With the amount of new recruits and the fact Celtic have been papering over the huge cracks for years. Time to calm down! Yes we need big change at board level but having a go at Martin O’Neill???
We are acting like that mob over the city? Celtic ? A club like no other?
I had the misfortune to be at games in the late 80’s and early 90’s? Three bad results? Don’t panic!☘️💚
Can only comment on Sundays game as it was the only one I attended.
This was no run of the mill defeat,it was truly horrendous from start to finish.
Until Dermott Desmond decides to reliquish his strangle hold on celtic we will drift along rudderless for a while yet
Not drifting, driven in a deliberate and clear direction.
How are they gonna ‘Support Martin’
They can do f*uck all till January…
More lies from Lucan !
MON made it clear that he would be here for no longer than the season’s end. With that information available to the Celtic Board, it was at that point that extensive work behind the scenes should immediately have begun to identify the next Celtic Manager. It would mean that, should MON decide to walk away now, the Board would still be well placed to put the wheels in motion in regard to replacing him. I get the impression that, whether Martin goes now or at the end of the season, there will be the usual heel-dragging and general procrastination, further damaging the status of both the team and the club.
Two points.
“Slightly Dysfunctional” doesn’t do it justice.
Wilson,Nicholson et al are cowards hiding behind MON.