Not prioritising quality over quantity Celtic’s biggest failing since summer 2021 | OneFootball

Not prioritising quality over quantity has been Celtic’s biggest failing in recent years, particularly in summer 2023 when Mark Lawwell was allowed to spend the guts of £25m on an array of project signing…

Hyeok-kyu Kwon:

At long last Martin O’Neill looks like he’s about to change all that. Last summer Brendan Rodgers asked for quality while getting some club signings that the coaching staff reckoned were not at the level. Hopefully those days are gone, for the time being anyway.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou Unveiling – Celtic Park Celtic new manager Ange Postecoglou right and Chief Executive Dominic McKay pose for a photo at Celtic Park Glasgow. Friday June 25, 2021. Photo Jeff Holmes Getty Images

One of the biggest issues at Celtic these past few years has been a lack of competence on the recruitment front. Nothing has come close to matching the first Ange Postecoglou window back in summer 2021 when we got a glimpse of how Celtic could operate successfully in the transfer window.

The football we watched for a season or two back then was different class and much of that was down to the recruitment.

Whether it’s been through being too slow in identifying, and bringing in the required quality, or signing players that can only be described as ‘sub-standard’ it’s been our Achilles heel for far too long.

Brendan Rodgers eventually left due to his frustration over it, and Martin O’Neill bemoaned the same issues in the January transfer window, but now it looks as if the tide is about to shift, and if that is the case then Martin O’Neill is the one who has most likely had a big impact on the welcome change.

For years we’ve wasted massive resources on players for nominal fees, when it would have been better served using the money on two or three tried and trusted players, as opposed to six ‘project’ players.

For example, we spent around £7 million on centre backs Maik Nawrocki, and Gustaf Lagerbielke, who were both deemed surplus to requirements, when that money could have well been invested in one quality central defender that the manager selected.

18th January 2026; Rugby Park, Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland: Scottish Cup Football, Auchinleck Talbot versus Celtic; Shin Yamada of Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Now it seems that Martin O’Neill has got through to the Celtic Board, as has been proven by the recent additions of Camilo Duran and Kasper Hogh, with hopefully more big signings on the horizon.

Martin spoke candidly about the subject in an interview with Sky Sports yesterday afternoon.

23.05.2026 Celtic v Dunfermline Athletic, Scottish Cup Final – Martin O’Neill with the Scottish Cup. Photo Kenny Ramsay

“I think we’re trying to get some quality into the football club,” Martin told Luke Shanley. “We’ve lost Daizen, he was a big, big player for us and so we have to replace him and I think that we’re doing our best to do that. We will get some more players in, there’s no question about that also but yeah, I want quality rather than quantity.”

This is exactly what Celtic supporters have been calling for, for many years now and it’s a welcome change in direction for the club. One that will pay dividends as class shows in performances and results.

So let’s hope signing quality over quantity is the new normal at Celtic for the long term and not just while Martin’s around for a season or maybe two.

Martin O’Neill, Manager of Celtic acknowledges the fans following the teams victory in the Scottish Cup Final match between Celtic and Dunfermline at Hampden Park on May 23, 2026. (Photo by Zak Mauger/Getty Images)

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