Jackie McNamara believes Martin O’Neill deserves more credit for the way he handled Celtic’s injury problems last season.
That was not a clean run-in. Kasper Schmeichel’s absence changed the goalkeeper picture, Cameron Carter-Vickers being out weakened the centre of defence, and Jota’s injury took away one of Celtic’s main attacking threats.
McNamara feels those issues were not spoken about enough, especially given the way O’Neill still managed to guide Celtic through the final weeks of the campaign.
McNamara believes O’Neill had to deal with far more than just picking a team.
He said: (Daily Record), “I don’t think it was talked about enough, the amount of players Celtic missed.
“Starting with the goalkeeper situation with Kasper Schmeichel, Cameron Carter-Vickers was a massive one, and Jota too.
“They’ve also struggled in the striking area. Even the ones brought in during January have been injured or not playing. The fact Martin has managed to navigate through important games, while also playing in Europe, is incredible.
“He’s had to manage Kelechi Iheanacho, bringing him in at certain points because you can’t start him as he won’t last 90 minutes.
“You’ve got to give him immense credit.”
The striker situation was one of the clearest examples of O’Neill having to manage around the squad rather than simply play his best side every week.
Celtic still found a way through. That is why McNamara’s point resonates. O’Neill did not inherit a settled team cruising towards the line. He had to patch things together while keeping the results coming.
The summer now has to give him a stronger base. Injuries will always happen, but Celtic cannot go into another campaign relying on makeshift solutions in key areas when the fixture list starts to bite.
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