“The Celtic supporters have got what they want. Martin O’Neill is a real legend,” Jim Goodwin

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The Celtic Star

·9 gennaio 2026

“The Celtic supporters have got what they want. Martin O’Neill is a real legend,” Jim Goodwin

Last time Jim Goodwin faced Celtic it was all about outfoxing rookie Celtic boss Wilfried Nancy whose Celtic side could have been out of sight at the interval but after passing up numerous golden opportunities they went in with just a Daizen Maeda goal to show for their dominance…

Wilfried Nancy, Dundee Utd v Celtic, Scottish Premiership. Tannadice, 17 December 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Goodwin made some tactical changes and the second half was a different story as the game was turned on its head with Dundee United running out 2-1 winners. Daizen Maeda missed a chance from point blank range to equalise but it wasn’t to be and Johnny Kenny must have sat of the team but for the 80 miles drive back to Celtic Park wondering how he never scored a hat-trick.

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Johnny Kenny misses. Dundee Utd v Celtic, Scottish Premiership. Tannadice, 17 December 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Tomorrow its a different challenge altogether for Goodwin, as he takes his team to Celtic Park and following the sacking of Wilfried Nancy – who had lost six matches out of eight in a horrendous short rein at the Champions – the Dundee United manager will have to take on his old boss Martin O’Neill.

Goodwin had been given his Celtic debut 25 years ago by another interim Celtic manager, Kenny Dalglish in what was a season to forget for Celtic. And coming back for pre-season the young defender met up with his new gaffer, the one he’ll take on tomorrow after, the legendary Martin O’Neill who had just arrived from Leicester City and was evaluating the playing staff, including Jim Goodwin.

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin during the Scottish Premiership match between theRangers and Dundee United at Ibrox on November 23, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

The Dundee United manager, speaking to The Courier this week, picks up the story…

“I remember Martin came in and very quickly realised that I wasn’t good enough,” Goodwin said. “He put me right back down in the reserves!

“No, he carried a great deal of respect within the dressing room. There were some strong characters in the dressing room like Chris Sutton, John Hartson, Paul Lambert, Neil Lennon; lots of big guys that have done great things in their career.

Celtic coach Martin O’Neill celebrates a goal by Chris Sutton. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

“But as soon as Martin entered the room, you could hear a pin drop.

“He had a certain aura about him that demanded respect from all the players. He was brilliant at a time when Celtic were going through a difficult patch. Martin sorted things out pretty quickly and they had good success together.”

Goodwin wasn’t at all surprised that Wilfried Nancy lost his job after losing six matches including of course the Glasgow Derby last weekend. Like the match at Tannadice, Nancy’s Celtic side were dominant in the first half against theRangers but only had a wonder goal from Yang to show for it. And then the inevitable happened in the second half and Nancy was finished.

Manager Celtic Wilfried Nancy of Celtic looks on after Celtic’s loss in the Premier League match between Motherwell and Celtic at Fir Park on December 30, 2025 in Motherwell, Scotland. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)

“I’ve always got sympathy for managers losing their jobs,” Goodwin said and of course he has been there himself. “We’re in a very difficult position, as we all know.

“But when you’re at a club like Celtic – with the resources that they have available to them and that quality of player – and lose six in eight games, I always think you’re very close to something like that happening.

“I don’t think it’s a great surprise to too many people in the game,” Jim Goodwin admitted.

“I’m disappointed for him, albeit I didn’t get an opportunity to know the guy. I’m sure he’ll be hurting because he certainly didn’t carry a lot of luck in the couple of months that he was in the job.”

Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney at Easter Road. Sunday 30 November 2025. Hibs v Celtic, Scottish Premiership. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

“Now that Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney are back together, we would expect him to go back to the back four and play a 4-3-3,” added Goodwin.

“We’ll need to adapt what our preparations look like, but there’s plenty of time in the week. If it had happened on Thursday or Friday, then it might have been a little bit different.”

He added: “We know that there will be a much more positive atmosphere at the stadium on Saturday. It’s very similar to the time when we went to Ibrox and Russell Martin lost his job in the build-up to that game.

“The mood in the stadium was different to the one that was there previously. The Celtic supporters have got what they want. Martin O’Neill is a real legend of the club.

“We know how well organised Celtic are going to be under Martin O’Neill. But we need to go there and put on a similar level of performance to the one that we put in at Tannadice the second 45 minutes.”

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