Martin O'Neill has issued an immediate demand to his backroom staff to compile a list of transfer targets, as the veteran manager begins his second spell in charge of Celtic with the mission of salvaging their faltering season.
O'Neill's Urgent Recruitment Drive
The 73-year-old Northern Irishman has sensationally returned to the Parkhead dugout following the abrupt end to Wilfried Nancy's disastrous 33-day tenure. O'Neill, who previously won seven of eight games after replacing Brendan Rodgers in October, now faces a six-point deficit to league leaders Hearts with 18 fixtures remaining.
With the departure of head of football operations Paul Tisdale, O'Neill is leaning heavily on coaches Shaun Maloney, Mark Fotheringham, and Stephen McManus to identify the players needed to turn the tide. "We definitely need to supplement the squad, absolutely no question about that," O'Neill stated emphatically in his first press conference back.
He elaborated on the collaborative process, adding a touch of his characteristic humour: "I will rely on Shaun and Mark and Stephen for their opinion on players, but eventually it’ll be down to me. If they don’t do well, I’ll blame Shaun! And if they do brilliantly, then I shall take all the credit!"
January Window Critical for Title Hopes
O'Neill acknowledged the difficulty of the January transfer window but stressed its critical importance, hinting at the club's criticised summer business which contributed to Rodgers' exit. "I would be hoping for it to be busy," he said regarding new arrivals. "But if the board were to listen to me, then we would have about 56 players, so I will try and narrow it down."
A key priority is retaining Japanese winger Daizen Maeda, who was close to joining Wolfsburg last summer and has been linked with a move this month. "I’d love him to stay. It’d be actually really important for him to stay," O'Neill admitted, though he conceded he needed to speak with the player to ascertain his intentions.
Reflecting on the title race, O'Neill recognises the challenge ahead, naming Hearts and Rangers as the primary obstacles. "Rangers are obviously big enemies and Hearts have had momentum all season. They’ve been able to win some big games, so, yeah, it is a difficult task for us," he said.
Shifting Tactics and Short-Term Focus
O'Neill is likely to abandon Nancy's unpopular 3-4-3 formation, reverting to a 4-3-3 system that brought success during his first interim period. "I don’t expect to make too many changes, probably want to maybe go back to what I thought maybe worked for us at the time," he explained.
Despite the monumental task, the manager was clear that his return is strictly short-term. Joking about his age, he said, "I’m 112 on my next birthday, so I think time is kind of running out for me!" He firmly stated he would not continue beyond the summer, "regardless of what happens."
His immediate focus is on lifting the squad's spirits ahead of Saturday's match against Dundee United at Celtic Park, following a tough run of results. O'Neill also expressed sympathy for predecessor Nancy, suggesting the Frenchman was "unlucky" during his brief, luckless reign.
