“I’m going to go into a darkened room and come out on Thursday,” Martin O’Neill

In partnership with

The Celtic Star

·9 November 2025

“I’m going to go into a darkened room and come out on Thursday,” Martin O’Neill

Martin O’Neill today clawed another two points back on Hearts as Celtic thrashed Kilmarnock 4-0 at Celtic Park this afternoon as Dundee United took a point at Tynecastle. Here’s everything Martin O’Neill had to say post match as Celtic head into the international break with yet another hamstring injury, this time to Marcelo Saracchi, with Celtic players right, left and centre heading off for operations…

Celtic interim manager Martin O’Neill during the Premier League match between Celtic and Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on November 09, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

OneFootball Videos

Q: Did you enjoy that one?

Martin O’Neill: “Yes, the last five minutes, when we scored the third goal, and there were about four minutes left. That’s the only enjoyment I get out of it. We did fine, we did fine in certain areas, in certain spells of the game, but yeah, just lovely to win.”

Q: Are we any further forward in knowing if you might be here a bit longer?

Martin O’Neill: “No I don’t, genuinely don’t know, but if they make an announcement in the, let’s say in the next week or something, it’s about a new manager, yeah, I’ll take this fortnight and, I was going to say rather morbidly, to my grave, but you never know. It’s been fantastic.”

eltic interim manager Martin O’Neill during the Premier League match between Celtic and Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on November 09, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: I noticed after the game you didn’t go out on the pitch, you didn’t wave goodbye, you didn’t do anything like that, you pretty much went straight up the tunnel?

Martin O’Neill: “Well, no, that would have nothing to do with anything. I think, on reflection, I think my years here, I think, the game has changed a lot and now the players spend about an hour after the match is over going round the ground regardless. I don’t remember doing that at home, I’d always applaud the away fans when we’ve travelled away, but at home I always used to think I was in the dressing room before the players came in.”

Q: But you weren’t tempted to go out and maybe wave to the crowd?

Martin O’Neill: “No I didn’t really think about that at all, genuinely didn’t think about it. Well, we won the game, I would dread to think what going round and waving to the crowd we’d been beaten in the game, so I don’t think I would have done that.”

Kieran Tierney of Celtic is congratulated by team mates after he scores his team’s second goal during the Premier League match between Celtic and Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on November 09, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: You were spotted at St Mirren yesterday? Was that just a case of covering bases?

Martin O’Neill: “It’s my job. I wanted to go to the game because I think, the one thing I think I’ve always done here, I’ve had complete respect for opponents all the time and you never know. And so, I was off with Fozzy, the two of us went off, Fozzy being Mark Fotheringham, and he talked the whole way through it. He knows the football, he knows the stuff, I can’t believe how well he’s done in Germany and places like this here at Huddersfield. But no, that was all, I just wanted to see the game, and that is my job.

Q: Would you expect clarity for the next day or so?

Martin O’Neill: “So you’re pinning me down now, aren’t you? So, I’ve just said to Rob in the BBC interview, I am going to, I have to go back down to London again, I’m going to go into a darkened room and come out on Thursday and see has this really happened. So, I should imagine at some stage or another during the course of the next week, whether it be tomorrow, whether it be Saturday or Sunday of next week, that somebody will let me know what’s happening.”

Daizen Maeda of Celtic celebrates with team mate Benjamin Nygren of Celtic after he scores his team’s third goal during the Premier League match between Celtic and Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on November 09, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: You must take great satisfaction, Martin, for the way the players have responded to you. I mean, that’s a couple of 4-0 wins, a big semi-final win. I know Denmark…

Martin O’Neill: “I knew that that was, you know, I think we all realise ourselves, which is unfortunate that, just at this minute, the European scene is really difficult for us. It takes time to build a side again and to be able to compete there, which is what you should be doing anyway.”

Johnny Kenny of Celtic celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Premier League match between Celtic and Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on November 09, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: I just mean in general the way the boys have responded to you?

Martin O’Neill: “Oh, sure, absolutely. No, they have. They’ve done great. I know for the penalty kick there, that was, his [Yang’s] ability to go past the players was terrific. So, I’m genuinely learning all the time, you know. So, it was great. He comes on for a few minutes and he has definitely got ability. Luke McCowan you know, started the game today. He got very tired. I took a bit of a risk, really, on the Manchester City lad [Jahmai Simpson-Pusey]. I thought, well, if he can play centre half, maybe he can play out there. Got off to, hmm, not a brilliant start to begin with, you know. I thought about taking him off after four minutes! Don’t tell him that! But, no, he did fine. He actually did fine. I think he got applauded off the pitch, which was nice. Not necessarily by me, but there. But, no, I was delighted. Honestly, really pleased.”

Marcelo Saracchi of Celtic is seen injured during the Premier League match between Celtic and Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on November 09, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: How’s Marcelo Saracchi?

Martin O’Neill: “He’s done his hamstring. I don’t know what this game’s about, really. Honestly. You know, yeah, he’s going to be out again. And the other two lads, Alistair Johnston and Callum Osmand, are getting surgery on Tuesday. So, they’re going to be out for a long time.”

Q: If this is your last game as manager, what squad is the next manager inheriting in terms of their mentality and their talent?

Martin O’Neill: “Well, if I’m leaving now, I’m going to tell the next manager he has got the greatest squad that’s ever lived. And then, if I’m staying on, I’m saying we’ve got a lot of work to do. So, there we are. I’ve seen loads of managers doing this, you know, and then finding out that they’ve actually had to stay on. And then, once they’ve said they’ve left a big squad, and then, oh, gosh, he’s actually stayed on. I think, oh, loads of work to do. I think, I genuinely don’t even have to tell you this. You can see outside what we have and what we don’t.”

Ex-Celtic player Murdo McLeod is seen during the Premier League match between Celtic and Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on November 09, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: If the club say to you in the middle of the week, can you stay on for another two weeks until Christmas, into the new year, at the end of the season, would you have the conversation, would you stay on for a period?

Martin O’Neill: “Do you know, that is a genuinely good point, so I’m going to be serious here. I really don’t know. It’s a young man’s game, and I’m almost talking myself out of this here, but it’s been tough, you know. All the things that I kind of thought I knew about it have come to sort of fruition, you know, about the strength of the side or what I thought I saw from a distance. The European football, that type of stuff, where you want to be, and what has happened to the football club, I suppose, since Bayern Munich, you know. It’s all of those things. But if you’re asking me, well, how do I look? Not great, you know, not great.”

Q: You have the tracksuit.

Martin O’Neill: “The old retro thing, is that right? Okay, yeah. I last saw Jimmy Greaves wearing this in 1966.”

Alistair Johnston at Hampden after Celtic’s 3-1 win over theRangers on 2 November 2025 Photo AJ (The Celtic Star)

Q: Martin, can I just clarify, you said Alistair Johnston is going for surgery on Tuesday?

Martin O’Neill: “Absolutely. They found out that they had to wait a little while for his hamstring, just to get a clear picture of the x-rays or the scans, and that’s shown a tear as well, too. So, that’s really sad, because, I mean, everybody says he’s a really, really good player.”

Callum Osmand of Celtic is injured Midtjylland vs Celtic, UEFA Europa League, Group Stage, Football, MCH Arena, Herning, Denmark – 06 November 2025. Photo MichaelxZemanek Shutterstock/IMAGO

Q: Callum Osmand too?

Martin O’Neill: “Osmand is surgery as well.”

Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter, signed copies by Danny McGrain available from celticstarbooks.com

Don’t miss the chance to purchase the late, great Celtic historian David Potter’s final book. All remaining copies have been signed by the legendary Celtic captain Danny McGrain PLUS you’ll also receive a FREE copy of David Potter’s Willie Fernie biography – Putting on the Style, and you’ll only be charged for postage on one book. Order from Celtic Star Books HERE.

Celtic in the Eighties and Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style both by David Potter. Photo The Celtic Star

Danny McGrain signing copies of Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Photo: Celtic Star Books