Martin O’Neill rules out longer Celtic stay beyond this season

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The Celtic Star

·7 gennaio 2026

Martin O’Neill rules out longer Celtic stay beyond this season

Martin O’Neill has made it clear his latest spell in charge of Celtic will be only until the end of the season following his return to the club following the sacking of Wilfried Nancy…

Appointed on an interim basis after the sacking of Wilfried Nancy, the 73 year-old manager will oversee the team until the end of the campaign.

Despite the circumstances of his return, O’Neill has confirmed he has no intention of continuing in the role beyond the summer, irrespective of the club’s fortunes this season. When questioned whether he may stay on beyond this season, O’Neill said via Celtic’s official YouTube channel: “I wonder whether I would have the capacity to go and carry on.”

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“And also, I am 112 next birthday, so I think time is kind of running out for me. I’d like to do well with it, and who knows what the board might think, but I would not be thinking anything longer than the end of the season for me, regardless of what happens.”

Celtic Manager Martin O’Neill speaks at a mainstream conference on Tuesday 6th January 2026 at Lennoxtown after returning to the club following the sacking of Wifred Nancy. Photo Andy Buchanan Shutterstock

When asked what Celtic need this month in terms of transfers, O’Neill responded: “I think that we would have to supplement the squad in some capacity.

“We would have to do that if it’s at all possible. You only have this period of time. We all know that January transfer windows are difficult, difficult to get the players you probably want at the football club. But we do need to supplement it and we’re going all out to try and do that.”

Celtic Manager Martin O’Neill speaks at a mainstream conference on Tuesday 6th January 2026 at Lennoxtown after returning to the club following the sacking of Wifred Nancy. Photo Andy Buchanan Shutterstock

O’Neill’s first task will be stop the run of back-to-back Premiership defeats with a victory on Saturday against Dundee United at Celtic Park.

After the cataclysmic month in charge under Nancy, Celtic have fallen to third in the table after being level on points with a game in hand over Hearts and nine points clear of the Ibrox club when O’Neill left last month.

So, the new Celtic interim boss is back to where he started. He needs to do it again. He needs to galvanise a group of players that look lost. However, he can most definitely do it. What an interesting few months ahead for O’Neill and Celtic.

Conor Spence

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