Celtic verdict on Martin O’Neill sack revealed as disastrous week has supporters up in arms

Celtic are determined not to make any rushed decisions over Martin O’Neill’s future despite a disastrous week that has left the club hurting and supporters raging.

The Parkhead side suffered two defeats by Rangers and a heavy loss to Ferencváros, results that have intensified scrutiny on the manager.

Sources close to the club insist the Celtic board remains calm and will not act in haste. While the performances have been deeply disappointing, decision-makers are understood to be giving O’Neill time to address the problems rather than reacting immediately to the setbacks.

The week’s results have, however, raised serious questions inside the dressing room, and the club is hurting after Sunday’s 1-0 loss to their arch-rivals at Celtic Park, which cut their lead down to just two points at the summit and reactivated a title race which some deemed, somewhat foolishly, over already.

As we revealed last week, sources say a number of players are concerned about the direction of travel and a lack of tactical clarity. There is a growing feeling that the team lacks a clear identity when facing organised, high-quality opposition.

That concern is shared more widely. On every occasion this season that Celtic have come up against a genuinely challenging opponent, they have been beaten.

The pattern has not gone unnoticed by people within the club, who view the repeated inability to compete against stronger sides as a significant concern and one they feel does need addressing…

O’Neill hurting at Celtic losses

O’Neill himself is said to be hurting after the sequence of results, which have left his tenure in a perilous position.

Those close to the veteran manager report that he is fully aware of the shortcomings and remains determined to fix the issues. He is understood to be working hard with his coaching staff to restore belief and improve the team’s structure and organisation.

The coming weeks will be crucial. Celtic still have important fixtures to navigate, and O’Neill will be under pressure to show clear signs of progress.

Speaking after Sunday’s loss, O’Neill was, publicly at least, refusing to press the panic button.

“It was a tough game. I don’t think there’s very much between the teams,” the 74-year-old told Sky Sports.

“We should have created more. We had a lot of possession.

“It has been a tough week. The history of the club proves it will fight back from these things.

“It’s concerning. Is it a disaster? I don’t think so. We have to rethink and reset.

“It’s a time for self-reflection.”

For now, the board’s stance appears firm: patience will be shown, but the need for improvement is obvious to everyone at the club.

They are also painfully aware of how O’Neill was needed to steady the ship the last time they made a bold appointment, with the ill-fated reign of Wilfied Nancy lasting a mere 33 days before the hapless Frenchman was axed.

Whether O’Neill can reverse the current slide and regain the confidence of players and supporters remains the central question facing Celtic as they attempt to steady a turbulent start to the campaign.