Chris Sutton has come out strongly in defence of Martin O’Neill after recent suggestions that Celtic’s interim boss is relying more on his backroom team than his own tactical ability.
O’Neill has won six of his seven matches since stepping in, steadying a drifting Celtic side and restoring confidence throughout the squad.
Despite that turnaround, some have framed him as more of a motivator than a strategist, implying the detail and structure of Celtic’s improvement is down to those around him. Sutton, a long-time admirer of O’Neill from their days together at Celtic, was having none of it.
Sutton said he finds it frustrating that O’Neill’s work has been reduced to clichés about “man-management” while Maloney and Fotheringham are credited as the tactical brains. The former Celtic striker argued that O’Neill’s long career proves he is far more than the caricature some commentators suggest.
And with O’Neill now only hours away from his final match in charge before Wilfried Nancy reportedly officially takes over, Sutton believes the appreciation levels for the interim manager are nowhere near where they should be.
He said: (The Warm-Up), “In terms of him getting everybody at the club pulling in the same direction and galvanising, my view, people say about Martin, he’s not a tactician, I always get a little bit annoyed about that.
“Because I think that’s disingenuous. I think that is unfair. Because if you look at Martin and his managerial career, and the way that he built himself up and enhanced his reputation.
“Starting, I think he was Grantham, and then he went to Wickham and got them into the Football League. And that’s not an easy thing to do.
“The job which he did at Leicester City, he had a difficult start at Leicester City, he’ll tell you himself, I don’t think he won at any of his first eight or 10 games.
“You know, who knows what would have happened in this day and age had he had that start nowadays?
“He may have ended up not, not carrying on, but Leicester City were glad that he that he did and he was highly sought-after from big clubs and he chose Celtic.”
Sutton’s defence of O’Neill is rooted in direct experience, he played under him during Celtic’s most successful era in modern times.
And while he acknowledges the contribution of Maloney, Fotheringham and the wider staff, Sutton believes the idea that O’Neill is simply “vibes and motivation” is lazy and historically inaccurate. His record across multiple clubs, his adaptability, and his ability to rebuild teams over decades stand as evidence.
O’Neill’s recent spell at Celtic has only strengthened that point. In a troubled period, he simplified the football, lifted the players, and, crucially, made structural tweaks that worked.
Whether it was Daizen Maeda’s new central role, Reo Hatate’s resurgence or the improved defensive discipline, O’Neill’s fingerprints were on more than just the mood.
Sutton’s message is that Celtic should appreciate not only what O’Neill represents emotionally, but what he still offers as a top-level football mind. His impact has gone far beyond nostalgia; it has been tactical, timely, and transformative.
As the curtain falls on this unexpected second chapter of O’Neill’s Celtic story, Sutton insists that history, and the present, deserve to treat him fairly.
The team is winning, the dressing room is united, and the club is in a far stronger position than when he walked in. And if that doesn’t reflect strong tactical leadership, Sutton argues, nothing will.
O’Neill steps aside this week with the gratitude of the support and, thanks to voices like Sutton’s, with his reputation properly defended.
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One Response
O’Neill saves. Martin is living. And Martin is here. The greatest footballing love story ever told.
I love him. ICON. Let him stay for the season.
There’s only the here and now and blink and you’ll miss it.
We want Martin O’Neill. The fans want O’Neill!