Dermot Desmond has a big call to make sooner rather than later.
Celtic fans don’t hear much from Desmond, but they certainly heard from him when Brendan Rodgers left the club last Monday.
To many people’s surprise, Desmond opted to hand the Celtic keys to Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney until further notice.
But who will be Celtic’s next manager? Because Jamie O’Hara thinks the answer for Desmond is much closer to home.
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill – Credit: Celtic FC – YouTubeJamie O’Hara tells Celtic to give the manager’s job to the ‘iconic’ Martin O’Neill
Jock Stein is Celtic’s greatest-ever manager, but it could be argued that, in modern times, nobody betters O’Neill for what he did after the turn of the century.
Speaking on Sky Sports News (05/11/25), O’Hara labelled O’Neill as ‘iconic’, and said how amazing it was seeing him on the touchline again.
But given the start the Irishman has made in his second spell, O’Hara thinks he is the ideal candidate to get the full-time job.
“It probably makes it (the board’s decision on a new manager) harder (if O’Neill continues doing well),” said O’Hara.
“Then the debate will be. Do we keep Martin O’Neill? I love seeing Martin O’Neill in the dugout again. He’s a breath of fresh air. Seeing him on the football pitch. He’s iconic.
“His credentials as a manager are amazing. He has been an amazing football manager. He’s still healthy. He is still fit. He’s out on the pitch, and he has got his tracksuit on.
“People say he’s 73. Why can’t he manage Celtic? He has a young guy beside him in Shaun Maloney, who knows his stuff and is a good coach.
“If you are looking at certain managers who are going to take over that job, and it is a big job. No one has the credentials Martin O’Neill has. I think, if he keeps winning and he keeps doing well. Keeps progressing the side. Why would you not appoint him?”
Celtic shouldn’t even think about ‘another manager’
Let’s be honest, before Rodgers left, it was doom and gloom at Celtic. That was proven by the defeats at Dundee and Hearts.
But O’Neill has brought a new lease of life to proceedings, and O’Hara thinks that the powers that be at Celtic shouldn’t even be thinking about bringing anyone else in.
“I wouldn’t even be thinking about another manager,” added O’Hara. “Right now, genuinely, I wouldn’t even be thinking about a new manager. I wouldn’t be thinking about getting a manager in.
“I think they have got it right. Martin O’Neill. Shaun Maloney. Take us through the end of the season. Rangers are miles off it.
“We are probably going to go out of Europe, and we have to try and catch Hearts at the top of the table. I think with Martin O’Neill, they could do that. I wouldn’t even think about a new manager. It isn’t worth it.”