Celtic manager Martin O'Neill is unlikely to stay long enough to become a "villain" under fan pressure, according to former winger Aiden McGeady. The Hoops returned to winning ways before the international break with a narrow victory over Kilmarnock, preserving their four-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
O'Neill's Contract Situation
O'Neill, 74, used the previous international break to consider his position before committing to the club for the rest of the campaign. McGeady, who came through Celtic's youth ranks under O'Neill in 2004, believes the Irishman should have stepped away after guiding the club to a league and cup double last season.
Speaking to Casinostugan, McGeady said: "It's normal for questions to be asked, especially with Martin O’Neill’s contract situation. The phrase goes: ‘You live long enough to become the villain,’ don't you?"
"After winning the double at the end of last season, Martin O'Neill's legacy couldn't have been bigger, but sometimes you wonder if that was the right time to walk away."
Fan Discontent and Performance Concerns
McGeady pointed to a wider disconnect between supporters and the board, which he says is adding to the tension at Parkhead. He acknowledged Celtic remain in contention for several trophies but expressed concern about their performances in key matches.
"Celtic will be fine domestically overall, but in the big games, against Rangers and in Europe, they've fallen short. That’s the big concern," he said. "Apart from the Rangers and Falkirk games, Celtic have won pretty much every domestic game. But at some point you need to see a change in performance quality."
The former Sunderland and Republic of Ireland winger noted that Celtic's free-flowing attacking football has faded, with the team now "scraping wins" rather than winning convincingly as they did earlier in the season.
Title Race Outlook
McGeady expects the Old Firm rivals to contest the championship until the final day, describing this season as potentially the closest title race in recent memory. He highlighted Rangers' improvement and the belief gained from their two recent wins over Celtic.
"In previous years outside of the COVID season, Celtic were by far the better team. But Rangers are improving and took a lot of belief from their two wins over Celtic recently," he added. "Celtic are still winning, but Rangers are right there with them, they’ve only won one title in 15 seasons but they do look stronger this time out. Celtic are still top, but it will be those games against Rangers towards the end of the season that decide where the title goes this season."
