Callum McGregor’s comments about Celtic needing to push on have not gone unnoticed, and Martin O’Neill has now addressed the captain’s message as the club looks ahead to the summer.
McGregor spoke openly about ambition and the need for the club to match it. It was a rare moment where he stepped beyond the pitch and pointed towards what needs to come next. That has been picked up across the support, especially with the team coming through a season that has not always been smooth.
O’Neill was asked directly about those remarks and whether he agreed with the direction being set. His response did not dismiss it. Instead, he leaned into the wider picture of where Celtic need to be.
The timing matters. With the season closing and planning already underway, the gap between campaigns is short. That leaves little room for delay when it comes to shaping the squad.
Speaking at his press conference, O’Neill gave his view on McGregor’s comments and what they mean for the club moving forward.
He said: (Celtic FC YouTube), “So, yeah, I don’t know whether it’s a twisting of words, but I think that… First of all, Callum has been, I’ve said this many times, he’s been fantastic here. Fantastic as a captain on the side. Great in the dressing room.
“More importantly, on the pitch. He’s done really well. So, I don’t know whether it was a tangle of words, I genuinely don’t know this here, but I think that, I’ve mentioned before, I think we want to try and be proactive.
“The club has got to… Whatever happens, it’s a short… It’s a very, very short pre-season. You’re almost back into it again in regards to what you finish. If you don’t finish in the top two, I think you’re back weeks.
“But when everybody settles down, you’d want Celtic to be really properly competitive. Really competitive. Because you don’t see Hearts going away. You can see Rangers getting stronger. And, yeah, so Celtic have got to be ready for those challenges. And if that’s the clarion call, well, so be it.”
The point about competition stands out. Rangers are somewhat improving, and Hearts have taken points consistently this season. Celtic cannot rely on past gaps opening up again.
What happens in the summer will shape how the team plays. Recruitment, squad depth, and how quickly players settle will all affect how Celtic handle early qualifiers and domestic games.
McGregor’s message was clear. O’Neill has not pushed back on it. The focus now moves to whether the club follows through once the season ends.
