Callum McGregor believes Martin O’Neill’s latest title win may have pushed him into genuine Celtic statue territory after one of the wildest seasons the club has experienced in years.
The Celtic captain spoke glowingly about O’Neill after Saturday’s dramatic comeback against Hearts sealed the Premiership title at Celtic Park. It completed a remarkable turnaround from where Celtic were earlier in the campaign when the side looked completely out of the race and supporters feared the season was drifting away.
Instead O’Neill dragged the team back into contention.
Celtic found late goals repeatedly during the run-in and eventually took the title on the final day after Daizen Maeda and Callum Osmand flipped the Hearts game around late on. The scenes afterwards were chaotic. Players celebrated on the pitch with supporters while O’Neill stood soaking it all in more than 20 years after his first spell at the club.
That emotional connection has become a huge talking point again.
Supporters were already discussing whether O’Neill deserved a permanent tribute outside Celtic Park if he somehow delivered another title. Now even the captain appears to agree with the idea.
McGregor has seen first-hand what O’Neill brought back into the dressing room during the second half of the season. The midfielder repeatedly spoke throughout the campaign about belief, mentality and keeping standards high during difficult moments.
Under O’Neill, Celtic rediscovered that edge again.
McGregor made clear just how highly he rates the manager while discussing the title win.
He said: (Daily Record), “I was just about to say that. Yes, it’s probably statue time. He’s unbelievable. A man with such massive experience in football who knows how to manage people, knows how to manage a building.
“He gets people on the right track, gets people on the right frame of mind, and again: What can you find in yourself to bring it to the team which makes you special and helps the team.
“He’s an unbelievable man-manager, backed up with some amazing coaches as well. He’s been really, really solid when the club needed him.”
That final line probably explains why supporters have connected so strongly with this title.
O’Neill returned when Celtic were struggling badly and when confidence around the club had collapsed. There was no honeymoon period either. Every dropped point felt huge because Hearts kept winning almost every week during the chase.
Yet Celtic kept finding something late in games.
By the final whistle against Hearts, O’Neill had delivered another league title to add to his legacy at the club. Whether he stays beyond the Scottish Cup Final or not, the debate around a statue probably is not going away anytime soon.
