Former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has weighed in on Martin O’Neill’s managerial future.
The 74-year-old achieved what many ruled Celtic out of doing earlier in the season, as they retained their Scottish Premiership title in the most dramatic of fashions on Saturday.
Many of the headlines have focused on the aftermath of the title win, but O’Neill and this Celtic squad deserve enormous credit for knuckling down during the run-in and getting it over the line on the final day.
After a couple of days off, the players are back to work as they now set their sights on winning the Scottish Cup this weekend when they face Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline Athletic.
Achieving a league and cup double would be a fitting way for O’Neill to depart the club after years of dedication over three spells.
Though there has been discussion that he could even stay on, should he be offered the permanent managerial position.
That has sparked debate. At 74, O’Neill has admitted that he would need time to assess whether or not he’d have the energy to continue in the dugout.
The fact he has even discussed it could signal that there have been conversations.
Strachan has chimed in, believing that if O’Neill feels up to the task and is properly backed, then there is no reason he can’t do it.
Speaking to Andy’s Bet Club, Strachan said:
“That will be the men at the top and Martin sitting down and asking, ‘Can we do this again?’ I think the manager has to sit down a bit after the euphoria, because usually in the euphoria you’ll say anything that anybody wants just to get away from the cameraman and get home, sit with your wife, have a cup of tea, and take it all in.
“But if Martin has the enthusiasm, the real drive and enthusiasm, and he thinks he’s got the backing, he’s got the good people around him, then he can do it again.
“But then everybody else will have to look at it and say, ‘Right, we take it in. We look at it from our point of view at the club and say, ‘Do we think Martin can still do this? What was the football like?’ We know he’s got the magic with people. Can that magic still go on?’
“So, it’s a strange one to have a 74-year-old man being at this level of intensity. It’s about taking the intensity of the pressure which is Celtic Football Club and the paranoia of the West of Scotland.
“Does he want to go through that again, or does he maybe do another role at Celtic where he’s very important but leaves the kind of coal-face work to somebody else?”
The last part has been another topic of discussion. O’Neill should be kept at the club, but it could be in a potential advisory role to a new permanent manager.
He has experience in abundance, and if offered the managerial role, may fancy himself to continue working in that specific role.
There is a significant rebuild looming this summer. The club is set for changes from top to bottom, which is where O’Neill’s skill set could be of great use.
For now, all sights are set on Saturday’s clash at Hampden. But soon after that, important calls are going to have to be made.
A managerial announcement is the top priority so that the rebuild can fully get going. Every move after that will fall under the microscope of supporters, as recruitment cannot be a failure as it has been this season.
The club cannot be seen sleepwalking into another season, otherwise we’ll see a squad trailing on the back foot. And with Champions League qualifiers crucial, preparation is key.
