Martin O’Neill’s Thursday Night Celtic Message to Dermot Desmond

Martin O’Neill admitted he is unsure whether Dermot Desmond sees him as Celtic’s long-term answer after speaking publicly about the manager situation during an awards night in Belfast.

The interim Celtic boss was in Northern Ireland on Thursday evening to receive a special presentation award at the Belfast Telegraph Sports Awards following his dramatic return to football this season.

O’Neill guided Celtic to the league and Scottish Cup after replacing Wilfried Nancy midway through the campaign. The club looked unstable when he arrived back in January, but results improved quickly once he simplified the side and leaned heavily on experienced players.

Celtic eventually recovered to win the title on the final day before adding the Scottish Cup days later.

Talks between O’Neill and Dermot Desmond regarding the permanent manager position are still expected, although reports suggest discussions have now been delayed until next week alongside meetings with other candidates.

That uncertainty hung quietly around the evening in Belfast.

O’Neill looked relaxed discussing the situation publicly, but his comments also hinted he believes Celtic may already be leaning toward a younger appointment despite his success during the closing months of the season.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, O’Neill addressed the speculation around his future directly.

He said: (Belfast Telegraph), “But I think he’s looking for a younger man – a 71 year old”

“I am getting awfully old, but I don’t know what’s in his mind, whether I would have the energy to do it again, I really don’t know. But it was nice to be asked first time and because of it, I get your award so thank you very much.”

The comments probably reflect the balancing act Celtic now face internally.

On one side, O’Neill clearly restored authority around the team quickly. Celtic became harder to play against again and senior players responded immediately to his approach during big games.

On the other side, the club also faces another rebuild this summer alongside Champions League qualifiers arriving early in the season.

That creates longer-term questions around squad planning, recruitment structure and whether Celtic want another short-term stabiliser or a manager capable of leading the next cycle fully.

For now, O’Neill remains central to the conversation even while sounding realistic about the direction the club could take next.