Martin O’Neill’s ideal scenario for Saturday’s game at Celtic Park

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The Celtic Star

·8 gennaio 2026

Martin O’Neill’s ideal scenario for Saturday’s game at Celtic Park

Martin O’Neill will return to the dugout at Celtic Park as Celtic manager on Saturday for the crucial Scottish Premiership match against Dundee United. The Champions find themselves in third place in the table at the moment, three points behind theRangers – who have played one game more – and six points behind leaders Hearts.

Celtic & theRangers players join Celtic fans in a minute of applause for former Celtic assistant manager John Robertson who died recently. Celtic v theRangers, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 03 Jan 2026. Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

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It’s a full card of fixtures with Aberdeen hosting theRangers and Hearts away to Dundee so supporters will keep keeping an eye on what’s happening elsewhere.

Referee Nick Walsh shows a yellow card to Arne Engels of Celtic during the Premier Sports Cup Semi Final match between Celtic and theRangers at Hampden Park on November 02, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Today the Scottish FA confirmed the match officials for these games and for the Celtic v Dundee United game, Nick Walsh will have the whistle, assisted by Daniel McFarlane and Frank Connor. Andrew Dallas will be the VAR and his assistant will be Gavin Duncan.

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

And if Martin O’Neill gets his way the Green Brigade will be back in their usual spot for this weekend’s match. Speaking to the written media on Tuesday afternoon (that’s done separately to the broadcast media and (before the ban) the fan media conference, Martin talked about bringing the entire Celtic family together to pack out Paradise.

Martin O’Neill hopes to broker a deal

As reported by Daily Record, Martin is ready to play peacemaker to broker a deal between the board and the Celtic ultras that will set differences aside for now and allow the supporters to return to their seats for the game against Dundee United on Saturday. The incoming Celtic manager said:

Our Dear Green Place tifo by the Green Brigade, September 2024. Photo IMAGO

“Right, do you know what I think? In the longer, shorter term, I wouldn’t mind having a meeting with a group of people just for people airing their grievances and things like this here. But, listen, I’m a football manager. It’s ridiculous of me and rather obnoxiously ridiculous of me to think that I can resolve a problem. What you can do is, I think that you can have a bit of a truce, if that’s the case.

“I’d love it if the stadium was absolutely just ready to go and ready to support the players through thick and thin because it will be a difficult time.”

Speaking about the ill feeling between the club’s hierarchy and the support, Martin O’Neill added: “I did say, too, that I thought initially when I came here, first of all, and I kind of half-joked about how Daizen Maeda or Reo Hatate wouldn’t know if that’s the case (ill-feeling). But it does wear you down a bit, you know.

Daizen Maeda and teammate Reo Hatate are pictured with the Scottish Premiership trophy after the season’s final match against St. Mirren, on May 17, 2025. Photo IMAGO (The Celtic Star)

“So, it would be nice to have people together, but that’s unfair of me to think that I would be able to do anything about it.”

O’Neill concluded by saying: “We’d have to try and win the football matches and that quells things for a little while. That’s all it does. But eventually at some stage, whatever comes and goes, the board and supporters will have to come back into unison.”

An ideal scenario for Saturday

A proper Celtic manager in the dugout and the Green Brigade back improving the atmosphere, what a difference a week makes as Celtic’s season looks like kickstarting after a few bad batches most notably under the dreadfully poor control of Wilfried Nancy.

Celtic Director Brian Wilson with CEO Michael Nicholson at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock v Celtic, 14 September 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Let’s hope Brian Wilson takes up the offer from the Celtic Fans Collective to meet to bring about the unity the interim Celtic chairman talked about earlier this week. Actions speak louder than words Mr Wilson.

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