Speaking to Sky Sports on Sunday, Martin O’Neill denied he had any legacy at Celtic to worry about, too modest by far. When he walked around Hampden after the 2005 Scottish Cup Final we knew the most impactful manager since Jock Stein, whom O’Neill referenced on Sunday, was leaving us to an uncertain future.
That parting was bitter sweet. A week earlier a calamitous performance at Motherwell saw the league title slip away in the dying minutes of the game. A squad which lost Henrik Larsson a year earlier looked more than a tad unfit. Celtic’s squad was too old, cost millions more than our income could pay for and needed an overhaul.
It is incomprehensible that Martin has enhanced his considerable Celtic legacy since returning as manager in October. A league challenge which was dented by defeats to Dundee and Hearts is back on track, as are our Europa League progression chances. Players who were regarded as bit parts have delivered, and in Callum Osmand we even got a glimpse of an exciting young talent. It is as though we were being driven around in a Honda Civic, and upgraded to a Ferrari.
Football fans want the fairytale ending. This didn’t happen for Martin in 2005, his victory lap at Hampden was mostly with head bowed, still shaken from the previous week. There will be a heightened appetite among the crowd for the win tomorrow night to allow the great man to say his farewells in appropriate style. No matter how much you or I want the win, Martin will want it more.
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Happy Wednesday eve all!
EKBHOY re: sanity clause
Well played but there aint no sanity clause!
HH
SonsOfErin @ 2:15 pm,
“Martin O’Neill must wonder why Yang and Engels were unable to command a starting slot earlier in the season”
”It was a sensible decision to withdraw Engels from the constant barrage of blogger and commentator criticism, particularly over the constant reference to his transfer fee, which would have had considerable effect on his confidence.
The Rodgers three were considered acceptable collateral damage for the war in the heavens, where some Celtic “fans” would hold no sacrifice too great in their pursuit of a negative Rodgers spin, this would include throwing their own players on the pyre.
There are those who always knew Engels was a player, and that includes those who scouted and recruited him. No revisionism required.
Totally agree, the Arne, Auston, Adam mantra was ridiculous.
Arne was 20 y.o.(very nearly 21 y.o.) when he joined us but has not been allowed his development journey as he didn’t fit the made up “model”.
And that was one criteria only – his price tag, they obviously would prefer…
£88,000,000.00 In the bank account to a young midfielder with great potential.
Fholk forget we had a great season in 2024/25 due to the dissemination of disinformation but we did have a great season.
In my opinion, it would not have been the success it was without – Arne, Auston, Adam.
Hail Hail
Burnley78 @ 7:12 pm,
You seriously think Brendan Rodgers, is not talking to his lawyers? Along with John Kennedy, Adam Sadler, Jack Lyons and Glen Driscoll are not talking to their lawyers:)))))))))))))))))
Is that your or Peter or both’s wishful thinking!?
Hail Hail
And the digs on BR just keep on coming. Looks like someone’s headspace is still haunted by the ghost of Christmas past.
Blame it all on Brendan brigade doubling down as Celtic try and get new manager ‘over the line’
Even with our form turnaround, I don’t think many autosport or football fans would regard our performances as Ferrari-like.
Undoubtedly, we have overcome some bumps in the road and conquered untravelled trails in Europe.
We’re prob more like a tuned up soft-roader at the moment; a Honda CRV or a Toyota RAV4 with the injectors cleaned and the engine worked on a bit.
Interesting/challenging time to change leadership tho’ – wonder if room for Shaun and Fozzy in the backroom?
SupedUp CSC
Martin O’Neill is indeed a Celtic legend. A hugely successful Celtic manager and a man whose legacy is secure.
As covered in the excellent, Huddle breakdown pod, our results under Martin have exceeded our performances.
3 away games in a week, seen us beat St Mirren, Feyenoord and Hibs.
In each of those games, our opponents out performed us in terms of expected goals.
Sometimes in football, you get more than you deserve but this will only last so long before performance matches the results – as Hearts are now finding out.
Huge problems remain with a squad that MoN has said needs rebuilt.
That rebuild starts in January and players signed, must be off starting quality.
Well done, Martin. Your legacy is assured. While some Celtic fans seem to have a strange fixation with downgrading the achievements of great Celtic managers, few will do so with Martin.
An Dún @ 12:20 pm,
Not sure how long you have been around these parts… you seem like other great posters a bit of a fixture here.
However twenty years ago Martin O’Neill was getting the BR treatment here – he was very much downgraded on CQN then
The more converts the merrier…
Hail Hail
Appetites dont win you games…..only
world class breakfasts!!
CHAIRBHOY on 2ND DECEMBER 2025 12:32 PM
I wasn’t reading CQN back in the days of MoN. I can imagine MoN got plenty of stick for his player trading performance…
But then, our most successful Celtic manager ever in terms of trophies and player trading is attacked almost daily on here.
I guess you can’t please some people.
The Battered Bunnet on 2nd December 2025 11:24 am
From previous thread
Accurate summary
And IMHO it highlights the scattergun approach adopted by our Board
We needed a Centre Forward a Winger (and another to cover Jota) and a Left Back
Regardless your opinion on Brendan or the Board our recruitment strategy is a bit hit and miss (more miss at the moment)
January will give us a clue
67ECW
Can’t really see how or why Brendan Rogers would be contacting his lawyers.
He resigned under contract……end of !!! ……..and so did the rest of them.
I had the opportunity to personally thank Martin for the transformative impact in the last weeks on a flight to London early doors Monday. He appreciated it and his humble approach is a reflection of the man.
The reason we are in this mess is ultimately DD and the antiquated board and an exec not fit for purpose with a mute imposter as CEO. Rodgers and his behaviours are a symptom rather than the root cause. He will be relieved he is out and pleased Martin is doing well.
DD showed his failings with that bombastic blast and unfortunately Ross showed he cannot think for himself — disappointing. Irish dynasty’s time is up ; maybe Lawwell’s dream of generational control of the club could have happened if he hadn’t have forced Mark into the HoR role (before DoF role). The Times Irish section had a piece on Dermot selling up —- he could easily have blocked it with one phone call. He is putting the feelers out—- he may catch a big one other side of the pond.
Back up this evening for Martin’s (hopefully) last game in charge. Any trophies we win this season will have Marin O’Neills fingerprints all over them.
Am away to check the odds on a treble— should have done it a few weeks ago.
From The Shamrock
Part1
https://the-shamrock.net/thousands-are-sailing/?s=08
Part2
https://the-shamrock.net/2025/08/17/thousands-are-sailing-part-two/?s=08
HH
We all know we can’t attract top level players due to being in the SPFL and the same is true of managers. When it comes to developing talent, we are reasonably successful though the days of our top Scottish players going to Arsenal, Liverpool or Man Utd and starring for them are fading fast.
But what about managerial talent? How often have we appointed an up and coming coach that moved on to be a big success elsewhere? Germany and Spain seem to have a production line of such coaches that are in demand all over Europe. Is it fair to say we mostly appoint very mediocre managers that go on to achieve little of note once they leave us?
At their best, the likes of Brendan, Ange and MoN are as good as we can hope for. Each had their moment in the spotlight in England but it was fleeting. What about the rest? Maybe Nancy will buck the trend . . .
Permanent Celtic managers since Jock Stein:
Billy McNeill: (1978–1983, 1987–1991)
Davie Hay: (1983–1987)
Liam Brady: (1991–1993)
Lou Macari: (1993–1994)
Tommy Burns: (1994–1997)
Wim Jansen: (1997–1998)
Jozef Vengloš: (1998–1999)
John Barnes: (1999–2000)
Kenny Dalglish: (2000)
Martin O’Neill: (2000–2005)
Gordon Strachan: (2005–2009)
Tony Mowbray: (2009–2010)
Neil Lennon: (2010–2014, 2019–2021)
Ronny Deila: (2014–2016)
Brendan Rodgers: (2016–2019, 2023–Present)
Ange Postecoglou: (2021–2023)
Interim managers
Sean Fallon: (1975–1976)
Frank Connor: (1993)
Billy Stark: (1997)
John Kennedy: (2020, 2023)
Martin O’Neill: (2025)
Shaun Maloney: (2025)
AIPPLE on 2ND DECEMBER 2025 12:00 PM
Happy Wednesday eve all!
EKBHOY re: sanity clause
Well played but there aint no sanity clause!
….
Outrageous, how do you square your comments with the State of New York finding Sanity Clause Not Guilty
HH
Eratic @ 12:46 pm,
We don’t know the circumstances under which BR&Co left Celtic, you can absolutely garantee their lawyers are involved.
The one thing we can be sure about is that Celtic are saying Brendan Rodgers “tendered his resignation”.
Unlike resigned, or mutualled or sacked
Temdering your resignation is a legal action in contract law.
That also occurred before Dermot Desmond’s ill-thought hissy-fit.
Hail Hail
An Dún @ 12:37 pm,
Yes, CQN started over twenty years ago, the end of MO’N’s tenure.
One of the famous pieces, mantras, was…
…”whatever happened to the Seville money?”
In other words, even with great European runs – Celtic could not afford to run with their, then, current expenses.
That was of course true – but in true Celtic PLC fashion they had to find a villian to blame for the expenditure.
As the retrenchment men took control and as Martin asserted we aimed for the slow lane.
Martin was certainly not given credit for his achievements…
Hail Hail
CHAIRBHOY on 2ND DECEMBER 2025 12:04 PM
Burnley78 @ 7:12 pm,
You seriously think Brendan Rodgers, is not talking to his lawyers? Along with John Kennedy, Adam Sadler, Jack Lyons and Glen Driscoll are not talking to their lawyers:)))))))))))))))))
Is that your or Peter or both’s wishful thinking!?
Hail Hail
…..
You really ought to move on from Brendan ,
He’s bunkered down in a mansion somewhere hot , awaiting his next gig.
He resigned and DDs comments were hard but true, we have the public utterances from BR and goodness knows what else was said in private. Talk of lawyers is tabloid like wishful thinking
HH
The Arne Engels blame game seems to be an oddity – I don’t think it was Paul67 or ‘the board’ had had him sitting on his erchie while we played abysmally – only one man did that.
Interesting that playing Arne with Calmac a wee bit further forward seems to work wonders – who knew? – but was obviously not part of the rigid formation under BR.
I suppose its all about opinions as they say…
The Celtic board are working from home today listening to Radio Snyde trying to find out what’s happening with Dermot and Wilfried
EKBhoy
Did you not see Brendan Rodger’s infamous words in the lead article?
EKBhoy @ 1:11 pm,
As long as the obsessed plants are diseminating the bs – it seems to me they’ll get a response.
My worry isn’t Brendan Rodgers, as you say he is big enough and ugly enough to look after himself.
No, my concern is the blame game tactics they are using for excuses before our new man has even landed.
Haven’t even seen one….
I’ll go over to Columbus and drive him to the Airport myself – comment from them.
Hail Hail
I can still remember that feeling well, we knew it was the end of something, the end of a cycle, the loss was devastating but it was mixed with real worry of where we were going next. That end was a long time coming but it was coming, I think deep down we all knew it but had so much faith in Martin that we didn’t think it was possible.
It’s funny that he was at Celtic for 5 such successful years, a length of tenure that is unlikely to ever be repeated, but it’s taken such a short period of time to enhance his status. It says something about the speed of life these days, it’s probably more about how much the mood has changed so quickly. Most of us want to feel good about Celtic, want to enjoy watching us win games, and have hope for a bright future. Somehow hes given us all that, in spades in less than six weeks.
I’m with the camp requesting we (actually you Paul) cease and desist with that particular car analogy.
Brendan’s comment was disgraceful whether it was true or not.
Time to let it go and leave the guy alone.
If you disagree?
Totally fine, but I’d respectfully invite you to consider this.
Any mini bio …
… of a guy called Brendan Rodgers
… from October ’25 onwards
… which runs to four or more paragraphs?
Will contain the words “Honda Civic”.
If you want Brendan to be further punished?
(I don’t)
… that is his punishment.
Ok, this is a wee bit worrying…
Now put you hands up if you really believe that BR&Co are not talking to their lawyers…
I’m not talking about P67, Burnley78 and folk who know fine well how this works and the lawyers were salivating at DD’s statement.
I’m talking about people so naive they don’t think lawyers are involved.
Show of hands please…
Hail Hail
Paul67 et al
Problem with extending the Honda Civic – Ferrari comparison is that with Lewis Hamilton @ the wheel, the latter are to be found in the slow lane, whereas since 1972, the former became one of the fastest selling cars in automobile history. That and the fact that Martin O’Neill would probably be more at home driving the Honda Civic than a Ferrari. That said Martin has managed to get Celtic back on track whereas Brendan was going off the rails, and we should be grateful for that.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 2ND DECEMBER 2025 1:23 PM
EKBhoy
Did you not see Brendan Rodger’s infamous words in the lead article?
….
Yes , I’m assuming you are referring to Honda Civics , which was Brendan’s unprofessional comment about the first team squad. Probably best if all posters draw a line under Brendan ( and his lawyers) and look ahead to Wilf , hopefully to a better brand of football.
HH
EKBhoy @ 1:46 pm,
Ok, you can put your hand down now..;)
Hail Hail
CHAIRBHOY on 2ND DECEMBER 2025 1:48 PM
EKBhoy @ 1:46 pm,
Ok, you can put your hand down now..;)
Hail Hail
…….
On the basis that DD has hugely deep pockets BR is not going near this with his lawyers , time to get your blinkers off.
Whistlinginthewindcfc
Referee and VAR for Wed:
Matthew MacDermid is the referee assisted by Sean Carr and Graham McNeville, and Ross Hardie as the fourth official. Euan Anderson is on VAR and will be assisted by Frank Connor.
Lucky Cody @ 12:49 pm,
Awesome stuff…
Martin has now sealed his legacy, whether he wanted to or not:)
Hail Hail
EKBhoy @ 1:59 pm,
Simon says – put your hand up again…
Hail Hail
EKBHOY
On the basis that DD has hugely deep pockets BR is not going near this with his lawyers , time to get your blinkers off.
—-
I don’t know if BR is taking legal action.
But I do know that if he does, it will be taken against Celtic, not DD.
That’s the difference between Desmond issuing his own statement and Desmond putting a statement out on the Club’s website.
Can any of our in-depth researchers give us a full run down on the heir elect ?
There seems to be the same amount of limited info on all the MSM sites.
Will Wilfried Nancy be up for it ?
Has he the tough personality to deal with a biased establishment media ?
Changing horses in mid-stream is rarely a good idea.
Good grief
Tim Malone Will @ 1:17 pm,
Confused… easy I know…
What are we blaming Brendan Rodgers for now?
Buying Engels for silly money?
Not understanding that actually the player “he wasted all that money on” was really quite good
ConfusedDotComCSC
Hail Hail