Let’s just say that the fans were delighted to see Martin O’Neill back in the Celtic hot seat after Wilfried Nancy was sacked by the club earlier this week, after winning just two of his eight games in charge. The Frenchman had looked completely out of his depth in the job. And while there is substance to the complaints about the lack of quality in the squad, there was no excuse for how little he had gotten out of the team.
In contrast, O’Neill had won seven of the eight games he had taken charge of earlier in the campaign, right before Nancy was appointed. The performances might not have always been great, but the results were there, which is what matters most at a club like Celtic.
O’Neill has been handed the job until the end of the season. It is the right decision to be honest. Perhaps that should have always been the plan once the team had found form under him. If he had never been replaced, maybe the Hoops would have a Scottish League Cup in the cabinet and a commanding lead in the league by now.
It is what it is though. Now, it is up to O’Neill to turn things around once again. The fans are backing the club legend to do so. But that does not mean that they agree with all of his decisions.
Celtic fans unhappy with Martin O’Neill’s decision vs Dundee United
O’Neill has rung in the changes in his return game against Dundee United. He has gone back to a back four, a development that will come as a relief to the fans after the nightmare that was the back three experiment under Nancy.
That being said, one change that O’Neill has not made is between the posts. Despite Kasper Schmeichel’s poor run of form, he has retained his place in the starting XI.
That is a choice from O’Neill that a lot of Celtic fans don’t seem to agree with. One wrote: “Schmeichel starting is a joke.”
That was not an opinion in isolation. Another said: “Kasper Schmeichel is like the complete antithesis of your Nawrockis of the world, guy drops an absolute travesty week in week out and still starts.”
For many, Schmeichel’s starting was the only flaw in the lineup put out by O’Neill. One fan wrote: “Would be perfect if we didn’t have him in nets.”
It is safe to say that Schmeichel has not won over the fans with his performances in recent times. Signed in the summer of 2024, the Danish legend had actually made a very good start at Parkhead and many felt that he was upgrade on Joe Hart, who had retired after three successful seasons between the posts for the Hoops.
Unfortunately, it looks like Father Time has caught up with Schmeichel between now and then. He has been poor since the second half of last season. One has to wonder if an injury he suffered last year while away on international duty has had an effect on his performance levels.