Celtic‘s miserable European campaign continued on Thursday evening as Martin O’Neill’s side suffered another disappointing defeat in the Europa League.
The Hoops were beaten 2-1 by Celta Vigo at Celtic Park, leaving them without a point from their opening three matches in the competition.
Things had looked promising when Mika Baur fired Celtic ahead shortly after half-time, but two goals in quick succession from Javi Rodriguez turned the game on its head, and the Celtic manager insisted he could not question his players’ commitment.
“Honestly, I cannot fault the effort,” O’Neill said. “We put everything into it. It’s been a tough old week for us in many aspects.
“We’ve travelled back from Portugal. We’ve put on a really brilliant performance on Sunday. That gave us the confidence to go on today.”
Despite their struggles in Europe, Celtic have shown signs of improvement domestically following a difficult start to the campaign.
O’Neill came under significant pressure after consecutive Old Firm defeats to Rangers, with questions even raised about whether he would remain in charge.
However, the Northern Irishman has steadied the ship in recent weeks, most notably overseeing a stunning 7-1 victory over Hearts that helped restore confidence around Parkhead.
Nevertheless, the 74-year-old is not expected to remain in charge beyond the end of the season, and Celtic are now beginning preparations for his departure.
Celtic discussing Martin O’Neill replacements behind the scenes
Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown believes Celtic are already considering potential successors to O’Neill, with the club expected to appoint a new manager next summer.
Speaking to Football Insider, Brown suggested that the veteran boss is likely to see out the current campaign following his side’s recent improvement, but does not anticipate him extending his stay.
“I wouldn’t expect O’Neill to leave Celtic between now and the end of the season,” Brown explained.
“It seemed like a possibility for a while, but they’ve moved past that, they’ve returned to their top form and they’re still on course to do well in the league this season.
“But I don’t think there’s any chance he could stay longer than what’s currently planned, I think he’s ready to leave Celtic at the end of the season regardless of what happens.”
Brown also believes Celtic are already holding internal discussions about their next appointment to avoid being caught unprepared when O’Neill eventually departs.
“They’ll be looking at different options behind the scenes and holding talks about who might be the best candidate, even if nothing is going to be advanced yet.
“They’ll want to have a succession plan in place, because otherwise we’ll get to the summer and they’ll start scrambling to see who might be available.”
Robbie Keane, Sean Dyche and David Moyes have all been linked with the Celtic job, while former manager Neil Lennon has also been mentioned as a possible candidate.
Keane was reportedly interviewed by the club during the summer before the decision was made to retain O’Neill, potentially putting the former Republic of Ireland striker in a strong position should the vacancy arise.
Celtic also facing Cameron Carter-Vickers transfer concern
Alongside the uncertainty surrounding their managerial position, Celtic could also face a battle to keep hold of influential defender Cameron Carter-Vickers next summer.
The USA international has established himself as a key figure at Parkhead since joining from Tottenham, but recent reports suggest he could be tempted by a return to the Premier League.
The 28-year-old remains happy at Celtic and is not expected to leave in January, but he would consider offers from English top-flight clubs should they arrive at the end of the campaign.
Carter-Vickers is under contract until 2029, meaning Celtic would be in a strong negotiating position if interest materialises.
With O’Neill almost certainly departing and one of the club’s most important defenders also considering his future, next summer could bring significant changes at Celtic Park.
