“You are representing Celtic, so you need to stay to the highest standard,” Julian Araujo

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The Celtic Star

·11 de enero de 2026

“You are representing Celtic, so you need to stay to the highest standard,” Julian Araujo

Julian Araujo has conceded that his introduction to life at Celtic has been anything but straightforward, describing the past week as an intense experience for a new arrival…

Martin O Neill with Julian Araujo. Celtic v Dundee United, Scottish Premiership, Football, Celtic Park, 10 January 2026. Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

Despite the upheaval, the defender says he is encouraged by how things are shaping up after being handed his first start in the win over Dundee United.

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The Bournemouth loanee completed 60 minutes in Saturday’s commanding 4-0 victory, using the outing to sharpen his match fitness and regain rhythm following limited game time earlier in the season.

Defeat to theRangers, Nancy sacked and a third spell for Martin O’Neill

Few players would expect such a turbulent welcome. Araujo was first thrown into action off the bench during an unsatisfactory defeat to theRangers last weekend, before joining team-mates in facing frustrated supporters outside the ground.

Matters then shifted again when Wilfried Nancy who sanctioned his move was sacked last Monday, paving the way for Martin O’Neill to take charge.

Speaking to the mainstream media in a post-match media conference at Celtic Park after the 4-0 win over Dundee United, Araujo said: “Before I came, I was watching all the games. You just have to be ready to adjust, whether it’s a formation or a new gaffer.

“All the staff and the players have welcomed me well and helped me turn round a crazy situation. You’re going day by day. I’m happy to be able to adjust quickly because now we have to turn around for Wednesday.

“Whoever it is, I need to keep my feet on the ground and stay humble. Whether it’s me or someone else playing in my position, then it’s competition – they’re here to make me better, and I’m here to make them better. I’m happy I got the start, and hopefully we can keep going forward.

“I’m very happy. The intensity was high, and the fans helped us. It brings me back to when I played in Las Palmas, they are asking me to play inside a bit, play outside and play to my winger very quickly. You are representing Celtic, so you need to stay to the highest standard.”

Celtic interim manager Martin O’Neill in dugout with Celtic interim assistant manager Shaun Maloney and Celtic assistant coach Gavin Strachan. Celtic v Dundee United, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 10 January 2026. Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO/Shutterstock

Araujo has also quickly found a sense of recognition in working under O’Neill, even after only a short time together. He noted similarities between the Celtic interim boss and Mexico head coach Javier Aguirre, suggesting their approach and presence carry comparable traits.

The defender said: “I think he’s very similar to what my national team manager is like. He’s very simple with the basics. But everybody knows their role, and he gives you that confidence; he puts you under a lot of pressure because he knows what your capabilities are.”

“The players know him more than I do, but from what I’ve seen and what I know, he’s a good man and a good gaffer.”

Julian Araujo of Celtic arrives at Celtic Park. Celtic v theRangers, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 03 January 2026. Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

“It was just him letting me play, giving me the confidence to do what I do. They brought me here for a reason; they know what I am capable of. There are little things I can build on. We’ll watch the game over with the analysis and see what more they want from me.”

Watch Julian Araujo post-match media conference below…

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This is what Martin O’Neill brings to Celtic -simplicity, authority and trust…

Celtic interim manager Martin O Neill. Final score Celtic 4 Dundee united 0. Celtic v Dundee United, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 10 January 2026. Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

Well what a difference a week makes. We have gone from the depths of disappear having lost at home to a bog standard theRangers side and being stuck with a manager who was so far out of his depth it was almost unbelievable, to the highs of easily swatting aside a Dundee United side who beat us only a couple of weeks ago and now looking at our current manager and thinking that this season is far from over.

Celtic players celebrate Yang Hyun-Jun’s opening goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee United at Celtic Park on January 10, 2026 . (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Joy to watch Celtic yesterday

That was a joy to watch yesterday. Was it an amazing performance? No, but it didn’t have to be. It was straight forward. It was stress free. It was everything the past month hasn’t been.

Heading in to that match yesterday we would have all have been happy with the three points, no matter how they were attained. In the end these Celtic players, who have looked so out of sorts these past few weeks, finally started playing to their capabilities, scored four goals and more importantly kept a clean sheet for the first time since our current manager was last in the dugout against Dundee at the start of December.

Celtic interim manager Martin O’Neill reacts during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee United at Celtic Park on January 10, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Martin O’Neill has returned to much love and adulation from the Celtic support

Martin O’Neill has returned to much love and adulation from the Celtic support. He has answered the call to be Celtic’s saviour once again. His legendary status continues to increase, and there is absolutely no doubt he deserves great credit.

The funny thing however is that Martin O’Neill isn’t the second coming of Christ. He isn’t some managerial genius. What he is is a damn good manager, an experienced one, who knows that football is actually a rather simple game. He knows the number one rule of managing a football team, any team in fact, is that you play to it’s strengths. He did that yesterday and look at the results.

Kieran Tierney and Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy are seen during the Premier League match between Celtic and Heart of Midlothian at Celtic Park on December 07, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Telling insight into the Nancy fiasco

Most of you will have read the article from Stephen McGowan in The Herald during the week, detailing the inside scoop of Nancy’s tenure at Celtic. It was an interesting read, although none of it was actually that surprising.

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The performances on the pitch told you everything you needed to know. It was as plain as day that the players were struggling to adapt to what he wanted from them. He tried to change too much, too soon. These players didn’t become duds overnight. They were just struggling to perform in a system that was alien to them, under a manager who expected too much of them.

Callum McGregor and new Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Hearts at Celtic Park on December 07, 2025 . (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Martin O’Neill has gone back to basics

Martin O’Neill has simply gone back to basics, just like he did after replacing Brendan Rodgers. Use a formation the players are familiar with. Play your best players in the positions most suited to them.

Give them instructions before the game and let this group of experienced players apply those instructions on the pitch. No need to constantly bring them to the sidelines to fill their heads with more information. No need for tactics boards or notepads. Let them get on with things and focus on playing what is essentially a pretty simple game.

Celtic interim manager Martin O’Neill reacts during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee United at Celtic Park on January 10, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Martin’s backroom team deserves plenty of credit

This is what Martin O’Neill brings. Simplicity. Authority. Trust. His backroom team deserves plenty of credit too. You can see how much happier the players are around them, compared to Nancy’s coaches.

The players look like they are enjoying their football again and that’s what matters. Our squad is weaker than in previous seasons, there’s no doubt about that. We also have a quite extensive injury list, to key players.

We still have the best squad in Scotland however. If we play to the best of our capabilities we should still win the league this season. With Martin O’Neill in charge, steering the ship out of troubled waters, I firmly believe we will.

Benjamin Nygren celebrates his goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee United at Celtic Park on January 10, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Yesterday was exactly what we needed. Three points were vital. The performance was an added bonus.

No visible scars from Nancy fiasco

Watching that game you would never had known the horrors of the previous month and that’s perhaps the most important thing to come out of yesterday. There were no visible scars. The players seem to have their confidence back already.

Playing to your strengths under a system that everyone understands and trusts will do that. These players look up for the fight. I have no doubts there will be a few more bumps in the road along the way but under this current management team I have no doubt they will bounce straight back.

Daizen Maeda of Celtic scores our fourth goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee United at Celtic Park on January 10, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

After a month that will go down in Celtic history for all the wrong reasons, this finally felt like we had the real Celtic back.

Long may it continue.

Conall McGinty

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