“Aye he’s an amazing man,” Shaun Maloney on Martin O’Neill

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The Celtic Star

·30 janvier 2026

“Aye he’s an amazing man,” Shaun Maloney on Martin O’Neill

Shaun Maloney spoke to the mainstream media after taking training at Lennoxtown. Looking back on last night’s 4-2 win over FC Utrecht the Celtic assistant manager looks ahead to Sunday Scottish Premiership match against Falkirk at Celtic Park and also the Europa League play-off draw that sees Celtic paired with Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart with both legs being played next month.

Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney, Auchinleck Talbot v Celtic, Scottish Cup 4th Round, Rugby Park. Sunday 18 January 2026. Photo Vagelis Georgariou ( The Celtic Star)

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Here’s everything that was said. A reminder that the Celtic Board have banned the Celtic fan media for basically asking questions…

Sean Maloney arrives at the Falkirk Stadium. Falkirk v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, Falkirk Stadium, 14 January 2026. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Q: Shaun, if we could start with your reaction to the draw to Stuttgart in the next round?

Shaun Maloney: “Yeah, great tie. We’re just off the back of last night, which felt like a bit of a special one for us. It’s a tough draw, but we’ve got a few games before that. It’s something to look forward to, for sure.”

Q: Memories of scoring against them many years ago?

Shaun Maloney: “It was a while ago, that, yeah. I remember also hanging on for dear life in the away leg. Yeah, it’ll be tough. It’s a brilliant game, brilliant for our supporters. From probably where we were post-Midtjylland to actually qualify, the players did a brilliant job.”

Q: Where’s the belief and desire to go and make something of this competition?

Shaun Maloney: “I think it’s growing. We had a big discussion, the staff, before Feyenoord, because I think at that point it was really 50-50 our chances, or maybe it was probably less than that. I think probably the history of the club kind of demands that you have that sort of belief and desire to go and do something in Europe. I think you’re also aware that people have booked these trips weeks and months in advance. The belief’s slowly growing. I think probably the big turning point was the Feyenoord performance and result. Then we took that one to Bologna, really, because that sort of last 20 minutes was very difficult. We’ve got to go and try and beat a really good side. In the last couple of months we’ve showed we can. It’s a brilliant game, brilliant for our supporters. From probably where we were post-Midtjylland to actually qualify, the players did a brilliant job.”

Celtic v Utrecht, UEFA Europa League, League Stage. Back row (L-R) Sebastian Tounekti, Auston Trusty, Arne Engels, Benjamin Nygren, Liam Scales, Kasper Schmeichel. Front row (L-R) Daizen Maeda, Yang Hyeon-Jun, Callum McGregor, Kieran Tierney, Colby Donovan Photo: Kenny Ramsay. IMAGO / News Licensing

Q: Where’s the belief and desire to go and make something of this competition?

Martin O’Neill, Manager of Celtic interacts with Ron Jans, Head Coach of FC Utrecht, prior to the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD8 match between Celtic FC and FC Utrecht at Celtic Park on January 29, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: Martin landed you in it a few weeks ago, telling us all that you’re taking a big role in recruitment. What does that role look like?

Shaun Maloney: “Not as big as what Martin let you guys say! It’s just working extremely hard with the recruitment department, with the recruitment analysts, with the board. I think Martin underplays his own efforts in it, because I don’t think there’s anyone in this building who watches more players than Martin. All the staff are doing the same, so we’re kind of all chipping in at this stage. We’re just working extremely hard on it, but I wouldn’t say that’s just me, I’d say that’s quite a few people.”

Q: Is that you taking players to Martin for him to have the final say on, or are you part of the final say once it gets to that stage?

Shaun Maloney: “It’s definitely Martin that has that final say, so I think once it gets to that stage, or the list of players. I wouldn’t say I’m taking the players to that list, that’s definitely the recruitment team. I think as in most clubs you generally get sent quite a few players, or certain players that you think are specific, or could do a certain thing for us. There are loads of different sort of ways, we are definitely trying to change parts of the recruitment team, or maybe the process, not the team. It’s just really specific. I’ve been really happy with the two guys that have come, so I think Julian Araujo and Tomas Cvancara are types of players or profiles that we haven’t had. It’s really specific, the ones that we want to try and bring in. We feel that we’ve got a few that do the things that we need, particularly on that right side. Hopefully, we can get them in.”

3rd December 2025 Celtic Park, Scottish Premiership FCeltic versus Dundee Celtic interim manager Martin O Neill drags forward Celtic interim assistant manager Shaun Maloney to get acclaim at the end of his last match in charge. Photo David Young IMAGO

Q: Is it your understanding that the club are close to doing something on that right-hand side? I think Fares Ghedjemis, Martin suggested last night it wasn’t a million miles away. Is that one you’d expect to happen?

Shaun Maloney: “I think there were a few names mentioned last night with Martin, but we’re going to have to get pretty close. It’s getting to that point in the window. I feel that they are. Speaking with the board on a pretty regular basis, all of our staff, myself and Martin, we feel it’s close, but it has to be. It’s that sort of time of the month. In terms of the guys, I think Martin obviously said that you were reasonably close, but I think until there are actually players, it’s tough. I think you have to respect the clubs that you’re dealing with.

Q: Shaun, can you expand a bit on the discussions you said before pre-Feyenoord?

Shaun Maloney: “At that moment, we were going through a really hectic schedule. Picking the team, as I think we do with every game, the manager wants people’s opinions. We had a really difficult game coming up as well. Straight after that, it was Hibs away, where the record of the club wasn’t amazing. They found it really tough, so it was just trying to make decisions on that night. At that point, you think that you might prioritise the game in three days, but in reality, you can’t. Feyenoord was such a big game for us. Speaking again, the history of the club, you have that pressure to try and do something in Europe. Eventually, you just pick the strongest side that you feel can win the game. Three days later, you do exactly the same. It was really important that we gave ourselves the best chance to try and beat Feyenoord. That night, we did.”

Shaun Maloney and Martin O’Neill. Celtic v theRangers. Premier Sports Cup, semi final at Hampden. 2 November 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Q: You’re obviously working with Martin again. What’s the biggest lesson you’re learning from somebody so experienced?

Shaun Maloney: “Aye he’s an amazing man. I’m sure the media days are slightly different with me than Martin. I definitely need to take a leaf out of his book there. He’s got fundamentals in terms of how he sees the game, how he sees winning a game, that I think I’ve probably been reminded of. I think as a young coach, sometimes I probably have been guilty that you can definitely overcomplicate things. But Martin sees things really clearly, and really clearly with certain players as well, what he needs them to do. I think that’s been a huge learning curve for me over the last weeks. He still has this ability to bring out the best of players. It’s been fascinating working with him. Actually, really enjoyable. I think all the staff would probably say similarly.”

Q: In an ideal world, would you have had more business done up to this point in the window? Because I think it’s something that fans have maybe grown a bit frustrated with.

Shaun Maloney: “I think that’s tough. The really specific players we want to bring in are types of players, I was really happy with the two that we brought in. I think the difficulty for the club is that we’ve obviously changed manager, completely changed structure to the previous guy. So I understand then that there is a period where the targets completely change. So I’m really happy with the two that we brought in. I think if we bring in another two or three, it would be a massive help. But they have to be the right ones. There is no need to bring in numbers. It has to be the right type of player for what we need and what probably the team is lacking. So yeah, the two that we brought in I really like. Hopefully, we can do two or three more.”

Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney celebrate Celtic’s opening goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Falkirk at Celtic Park on October 29, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Q: Obviously not much time left in the window. But do you feel quite confident that if it is three that you’d be able to get the work done in that time?

Shaun Maloney: “Yeah, the work’s been done. I think in fairness to the board, they’re there and ready to try and get the deals done. Hopefully that happens, yeah. It won’t be through a lack of effort. We’ve had to do a lot of work in a quick period of time because of the management change. But I’ve been really happy with the list of players that we’ve been given and the types of players. So yeah, really hopeful that we can all get that done. It’s not always on the board. There are things that we have to do. We have to speak to players. We have to get the players to have a desire to come to work with us. So it’s a collective really to get this done. Yeah, we hope it turns out positive, yeah.”

Q: On the Stuttgart draw, is that something that Mark Fotheringham is quite looking forward to? Obviously, his links with German football?

Shaun Maloney: “I haven’t spoke to him yet. I literally just found out the draw off the pitch. I’m sure he’ll be delighted, yeah.

Q: What do you make of Falkirk this season?

Shaun Maloney: “Yeah, really good. We played them twice. So it was probably a really difficult time for Falkirk to come to Celtic Park, just because of the feelings for Martin. Yeah, I think we were fortunate to beat them in the last game. Although I really liked how we defended the last 20 minutes. Kasper Schmeichel made a brilliant save. Yeah, they’re a really good attacking team. The manager used to work here. I worked with him. Our roles weren’t that aligned, but the work that he did for me seven, eight years ago was really appreciated. I was with the 19s at the time. And John went above and beyond to help me with that. A really good team. I know some of their players. Calvin Miller’s had a brilliant season so far. They go for it, whether they’re home or away. Whether they’re against a top-three team, they’ll leave it all out there. Yeah, really tough game, but it’ll be a really open game, I think.”

Q: Any new injuries, everyone’s fine?

Shaun Maloney: “Yeah, everyone’s come through okay, yeah.”

Falkirk Manager John McGlynn at post-match media conference. Falkirk v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, Falkirk Stadium, 14 January 2026. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Q: Just from what you saw of John McGlynn in your younger days, is it no surprise to you the success that he’s found in the game?

Shaun Maloney: “No, not with his work ethic. I think what he’s done at Falkirk is an incredible job. I think because of coming through the division so quickly, I think it would have been tough to see that for anyone, but John’s work ethic is incredible. So, no, fair play. He deserves everything he gets. I know his staff. He’s got brilliant recruitment as well. Yeah, they’re doing a really good job there.”

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