“He’s had a lot of weeks that haven’t been positive,” Shaun Maloney on Jota | OneFootball

Q: Shaun, earlier this week we’ve got a statement saying that Martin O’Neill is recovering in hospital after undergoing a minor procedure. I’m just wondering if you’ve had any contact with him and how is he?

3rd August 2026 Celtic Park, Scottish Premiership, Celtic versus Dundee Celtic Manager Martin O Neill arrives for the match. Photo David Young Action Plus/IMAGO

Shaun Maloney: “Yeah, I went to see him last night, so it was really positive. He got out of hospital yesterday. So yeah, he was in good form last night. Loads better than he was Monday, Tuesday. And yeah, hopefully that sort of positive feelings that he has continues, yeah. But he was in good form.

Q: I imagine the game at the weekend might come too quick for him, but would you expect him to be back involved thereafter? Do you have a timeline?

Shaun Maloney: “No, no timeline. So even for the game at the weekend, it’s a sort of day-to-day. We saw him last night with regards to the preparation for the game. So he wasn’t in today. I’ll speak to him this afternoon and then he’ll make a call for tomorrow. And then I’d imagine he’ll make the call. If it’s this weekend, great. If it isn’t, then we’ll prepare for it without him.”

Celtic Manager Martin O Neill. Celtic v Dundee, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 3 August 2026. Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO Shutterstock

Q: If he’s unable to make the game at the weekend, it would be you stepping in to the shoes, how would you feel about that opportunity?

Shaun Maloney: “Yeah, it’s a strange… We’ll definitely miss him if he’s not there. But you also have to respect what’s happened the last few days. The impact that he’s had over… What was it? Since October. Yeah, it’s been nothing short of incredible, really. The things that he does with the players and the staff. So we will miss him, but we’ll be prepared. We’ve got some brilliant senior players. We’ll see. We’ll let him make the call and he’ll definitely do that.”

Q: How close is Haissem Hassan and could he be in the building before the Champions League tie?

Shaun Maloney:  “Not too sure. I think, look, the way that the club, the processes around the club this summer has generally been always Martin and Michael Nicholson. I don’t see anything changing in the squad for this weekend. So I know you guys saw Jota training, but apart from him being unavailable, everyone else is fit. Transfers, no, I don’t see anything changing.

“I don’t see any ins or anything like that this weekend. And all the rest has generally been for Martin and Michael. I think over the next couple of days, if anything changes, or they ask some of us to have a bit more responsibility, we’re absolutely ready to do that. But at the minute, Martin is still all over that.”

Q: Martin always says that you and Mark have such a big input into coaching. So you’re saying you two don’t have a big input into the transfer system at all?

“No, they’re always here. The manager’s the main voice, the main call. So I think this season our responsibility is when the recruitment team come with their lists of players, it’ll be the boss, it’ll be all the staff who’ll watch, give our opinion when asked. And it’s been the same with this club. The manager will always have the final call. That’s how we work. And yeah, anything support, any support manager needs with that, then no problem.”

3rd August 2026 Celtic Park, Scottish Premiership, Celtic versus Dundee Kasper Hogh of Celtic applauds the fans at the end of the match Photo David Young IMAGO

Q: What is your opinion of the state of the squad at the moment? Obviously with those Champions League qualifiers looming, interest in some of your top players as well. What do you think still needs to be done before the deadline?

Shaun Maloney:  “Yeah, look, I think with the two guys that we brought in, in the striker position, I think that’s really strong. So I’m really happy with those two players. I think then we need that strength and depth in certain other positions. So I think that’s vital that we get that done. And I’d be really hopeful that that gets done. So yeah, I think how we feel about that nine, you’ve got obviously Kasper, Camilo’s now come in, you’ve got Osmand, Johnny Kenny, that’s a really strong nine position and everyone fighting.

Camilo Duran of Celtic Celtic v Dundee, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 3 August 2026. Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO Shutterstock

“I think we want that in every position. And there’s a few that we’re a little light on and yeah, I know the club are working hard to do them and we definitely need that done. We’ve got some, in my opinion, I think we’ve still got some really good players. We just need to strengthen certain areas and we want a level of competition to either drive people on, like we saw last year, or if somebody gets injured, or if there’s a loss of form. So definitely some work to be done here.”

Q: Would you have hoped, Shaun, that more of this work was done this year?

Shaun Maloney:  “I think yeah, I think that’s fair, but I think probably everyone in the club would say that. I think how we feel about that nine position, I think we would love to feel like that in every position, but I’m also realistic that it doesn’t work like that in the transfer window. Some things take longer than others.

Benjamin Nygren of Celtic celebrates with team mates after scoring to give Celtic a 1-0 lead. Celtic v Dundee, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 3 August 2026. Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO Shutterstock

“But yeah, I think as a coach or as a manager, I think you always want these players as quickly as possible. We’ve done probably over 40 sessions now in pre-season, so you’d love them on the very first day, but you’re also realistic. So in an ideal world, yes, but I think we also have to work with the squad that we have. We’ve got really good players and then when the new ones come in, you try and integrate them as quickly as possible.”

Q: Can I just ask about outgoings in terms of the latest with Arne Engels and the pursuit of West Ham?

Shaun Maloney: “Nothing’s changed really. Arne and Alistair Johnston, I know there’s been interest in the two of them over the last couple of days, but nothing’s changed. The two of them are training really well and it can be difficult as an individual, but they’ve been good. They’ve trained really hard. I thought they were both good against Dundee. I think we could have been a lot better in the first half as a team, but no, it can be hard for these guys, but they’re training fine. We’ve seen it before at this club. They have to act a certain way until obviously they’re not here, but the two of them have been really good.”

Q: Have either of them intimated to you or to the club that they do wish to move on, that they do wish to seek those moves that they’ve been link with?

Shaun Maloney:  “They might have done with the boss, all of these things will go generally through Martin and Michael Nicholson. The two players with me, they’ve been fine. They haven’t indicated anything apart from they’re there for selection. I think anything deeper than that, with Martin and Michael, it hasn’t been with me.”

Jota of Celtic receives treatment before leaving the field during the Scottish Premiership match between Dundee United FC and Celtic FC at Tannadice on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: Just a word on Jota as well. Fans are very excited to see him on the grass. Should fans temper their expectations of how quickly he should return? But how great is that supposed to just see him back out there more than anything else?

Shaun Maloney:  “Yes, it’s really positive for us. I’ve never worked with him. I’ve watched him, obviously, but we’re all excited to get him back. He’s still a matter of weeks. Today was the first day, he had a full session in terms of doing every drill, but some of that was unopposed. He’s still not in full contact, so it’s still a matter of weeks. It’s not going to be two or three weeks. He’s still a bit to go, but it is really positive.

“He’s had a really tough time and he’s had a lot of weeks that haven’t been positive. He’s spent some time in Portugal again, but the last couple of weeks he’s looked good. So, as a coaching staff, we’re really looking forward to having him back. It gives us a completely different type of winger.

Q: Does it feel like a new signing?

Jota of Celtic celebrates after scoring their team’s second goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and the Rangers at Celtic Park on September 03, 2022. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Shaun Maloney:  “Oh, he definitely will. We have to temper our expectation because it has been that long. That’s one thing with Cameron Carter-Vickers, he had a full pre-season, so he was out for pretty much all of last season, but he got six weeks. Jota will need something similar. It will take him a bit of time to get back to his best, but I think we’re all excited to work with him and watch him. But it’s good news, really good news.”

Q: What are you expecting from Kilmarnock on Sunday on that new pitch?

Shaun Maloney:  “The pitch looks brilliant. I saw Neil’s interview. We had a really difficult game against them last year. They were 2-0 up. Again, it could have been 3-0, it could have been 3-3. It was a really open first half. I watched them against St Johnstone. Yeah, they’re a good side. They’ve got some really good players. I know some of the players, Hugo. I like what Kiltie does for them. So, the pitch looks fantastic. It will suit them, it will suit us. Hopefully, it’s a really good game. It will be a tough game. Our next two away fixtures will be tough, so we have to be better than we were in the first half against Dundee that’s for sure.”

Jota of Celtic takes part in the Celtic Champions Training Day at Celtic Park on July 18, 2022. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: Any bumps and bruises for that game?

Shaun Maloney:  “No, all fine. Jota is just the one that’s unavailable. Everyone else is all good.”

Watch Shaun Maloney’s Mainstream Media Conference below. A reminder that Celtic fan media remains banned by a club too scared to speak to their own supporters.

Celtic travel to Kilmarnock on Sunday to take on Neil McCann’s side at Rugby Park. The match kicks off at 1.30pm and is live on Sky Sports.

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