Chris Sutton has insisted Martin O'Neill will not walk away from Celtic despite growing frustration among supporters over the club's slow summer transfer business. The Record Sport columnist, currently in the United States for the World Cup, said he would be "absolutely stunned" if the Hoops boss quit, even amid mounting delays in recruitment and boardroom changes.
Boredom and frustration at Parkhead
Sutton described a sense of "boredom" rather than outright anger among fans, noting that while other Scottish clubs like Hearts and Rangers have made signings and managerial appointments, Celtic have been largely inactive. "Almost every day there’s a new player arriving at Hearts, there’s new managers and signings at Rangers, other teams are doing business in Scotland and beyond. But when it comes to Celtic – nothing," he wrote.
He acknowledged that supporters are becoming agitated, with the club linked to players like Marcelo Saracchi, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, but deals have not materialised. The delay in confirming O'Neill's backroom team – including Shaun Maloney, Mark Fotheringham, and Stephen McManus – was only announced on the morning the squad returned for pre-season, five weeks after the season ended.
Boardroom changes and recruitment woes
Interim chairman Brian Wilson has promised a busy summer, but Sutton warned that goodwill from winning the Double is evaporating. "If it takes five weeks to secure people who are already in the building, how’s it going to go when bringing in others from outside?" he asked. He added that the club still needs to appoint a permanent chairman and a recruitment chief.
Sutton noted that O'Neill is a different operator from Brendan Rodgers, who grew increasingly exasperated last summer before leaving. "Privately, there must have been frustration at the January transfer window, when he practically confirmed certain signings only to see them slip from his grasp," Sutton wrote. He urged the board not to take O'Neill for granted, even if the manager remains publicly positive.
Key players could leave
Sutton highlighted that several key Celtic players are attracting interest, including Daizen Maeda, who scored for Japan at the World Cup, and Alistair Johnston, who impressed for Canada. Arne Engels is also being watched by clubs abroad. "While they remain, I get the sense of calm. But that can change very quickly and we know how damaging it can be if Celtic stands in their way of big moves," he said.
He concluded that O'Neill needs to be backed properly in the transfer market to avoid a repeat of last summer's chaos. "Celtic’s board won’t need to worry about Martin throwing them under the bus but that doesn’t mean they should take him for granted."
