Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has revealed he will hold crunch talks with chief executive Michael Nicholson as the club looks to finalise signings ahead of their Champions League play-off.
The Hoops opened their Premiership campaign with a narrow 1-0 win over Dundee, with record signing Kasper Hogh failing to score on his debut.
Celtic travel to Kilmarnock on Sunday before facing Austrian champions LASK in a £40million winner-takes-all showdown.
O'Neill keen to keep key duo
In-demand pair Arne Engels and Alistair Johnston started the flag-night victory despite attracting bids from West Ham and Everton. O'Neill would love to keep the influential duo for the lucrative two-legged tie and bolster his squad.
“Well, I’m hoping that we’ll get some players in. That’s the aim. We have two and they’re decent players for us but we’re striving to get some more in,” O'Neill said.
“I have a good idea of what we need - I should do I’m the manager. But that wouldn’t have made any difference to the result or performance tonight - I still know what we need. I still think that we are [getting closer to signings]. I will speak to Michael tomorrow morning and see where we are. I spoke to him briefly today. But it was about just, let's concentrate on the game tonight. So tomorrow is another day.”
Engels and Johnston commitment
Quizzed on the futures of Engels and Johnston, O'Neill said: “Alistair and Arne both said to me that they would want to play in the game if things had not progressed. And I thought they did fine. Alistair has got a very strong mindset anyway.
“But you are naturally worried about transfer speculation in the background and how you might take the game into consideration psychologically as well ask physically. But I thought they did fine. Alistair even moved over to left-back when Kieran came off. I cannot update you on any progress from the other day because I don’t know any.
“Would I like to keep them for the play-off? Ideally that would be brilliant, that would be really good. We wouldn’t know if the other clubs would want to pursue that, if that was the case. I’m quite sure that anybody starting off in their own particular leagues would want their players in as soon as possible. But ideally, that would be great.
“I think that’s one of the things we’ll definitely be looking at. I seriously could not say for sure. You’d have to take the players’ thoughts into consideration and maybe the other clubs. But overall, for me, selfishly, that would be great.”
Debut struggles and LASK challenge
New £11m striker Hogh had a frustrating debut, with £6m signing Camilo Duran shifted to the right flank. Benjamin Nygren scored a brilliant header after the break to secure the win, but the performance was unconvincing.
O'Neill acknowledged the challenge ahead: “Well, they are Austrian champions. So it will be difficult for us. If that had been our first game tonight, we'd have been in a bit of trouble. But we get the chance to have a look at them as they will do with us. They started the season with a 3-0 win didn’t they? It will not be easy for us. There were a few other draws I wouldn’t have mi died having. I was even prepared to travel to **..
“I thought there were other draws that we could have got, but it is what it is.”
Hogh told Sky TV he must adapt to playing on grass after two years on Bodo/Glimt's artificial surface. O'Neill added: “I don't want to make any excuses. He knew that we played on grass. He did say that when I was telling him I think that we have the best groundsman in the business. But I also think we've got the best pitch as well.
“I think it's really great. I'll speak to him tonight to see what he thought of the pitch. Because it's definitely not plastic. But he will do fine. He missed a few chances tonight.”
