Martin O’Neill appeared to hint that Saturday’s dramatic title win over Hearts was likely his final league game as Celtic manager at Celtic Park.
The veteran boss returned to the club earlier this season with Celtic trailing Hearts in the title race and the mood around the team collapsing after poor performances. By the end of the campaign he had dragged the side back to the top of the table after one of the wildest final days Scottish football has seen in years.
Even during the celebrations though, uncertainty around his future remained hanging over Celtic Park.
O’Neill had already suggested before the match there was “more than a reasonable chance” this would be his last league game in charge at home. After the final whistle, his latest comments sounded even more like somebody preparing to walk away again.
That came despite emotional scenes around the stadium after the comeback win.
Daizen Maeda and Callum Osmand turned the match around late on after Celtic trailed for long spells against Hearts. Once the final whistle arrived, supporters flooded onto the pitch while banners for O’Neill remained draped around Celtic Park.
The manager looked overwhelmed throughout the celebrations.
Journalist Josh McCafferty shared O’Neill’s latest response on X after speaking to the Celtic manager following the title win.
Martin O’Neill asked if that was his last game as manager at #Celtic Park: “I’ve just spoken to Dermot Desmond there and he didn’t indicate otherwise. I would imagine so.”
— Josh McCafferty (@JoshMcCafferty7) May 16, 2026
Those comments felt very different from the earlier uncertainty in his Sky Sports interview when O’Neill admitted he “just didn’t know” whether he still had the energy to continue.
This time there was a clear acceptance that Saturday may well have been the end of his second spell managing Celtic at home.
That would leave the Scottish Cup Final against Dunfermline as his final match in charge if he does step away after the season finishes.
The timing probably adds even more emotion to everything around him right now. O’Neill repeatedly admitted after the title win that returning to Celtic had “given me a lease of life” and supporters responded strongly to him throughout the run-in.
The atmosphere at Celtic Park completely changed after his return earlier in the year. O’Neill constantly spoke about the crowd dragging the team forward and Saturday probably became the clearest example of that.
At 1-0 down against Hearts, Celtic looked close to losing the title. By full-time the stadium had descended into complete chaos while O’Neill stood watching another league trophy arrive at Celtic Park.
Now attention turns towards whether he has one final game left in the dugout before stepping away again.
