Martin O’Neill a viable contender for Celtic Manager Job but not Sporting Director

There has been plenty of talk recently regarding the future of Martin O’Neill after he led the club to the most unexpected of doubles last weekend…

With Wilfried Nancy at the helm, Celtic looked on course for a disastrous season on par with the dreaded ‘covid season’ under Neil Lennon, until Martin returned and steered the team towards one of the most memorable seasons in history. This has led to many Celtic fans calling for him to get the manager’s job on a permanent basis.

Martin O’Neill is suited to the manager’s job or a seat on the Board

There are also many fans who think he would be better suited to a role such as Sporting director or Head of footballing operations, similar to the role carried out by the self proclaimed ‘football doctor’ Paul Tisdale. Personally, while I can see the benefits of keeping Martin on as manager, I can’t fully understand why he would be suitable for these other roles?

I fully understand that Martin O’Neill has been in the game his entire life and knows more about football than I could ever imagine but the point I’m trying to make is does that qualify him to be sporting director?

It’s a totally different role than a manager. He will be charged with things like overseeing player recruitment, squad planning, hiring managers, academy integration and infrastructure management. Is he suitable for that role? Would he even want it?

Bemoaning Celtic’s tendency to recruit from within 

We have bemoaned the fact that Celtic love to recruit from within, from managers to coaches to those who oversee the academy and player development. Time after time these are regarded as ‘jobs for the boys’.

It’s one of the most frustrating things about this current board. So what now makes it acceptable in this case?  Because it’s Martin O’Neill?

We can’t complain about the board hiring from within yet then demand that’s exactly what they should do when it comes to hiring a sporting director, the one role I actually think will be the most important at the club going forward.

It’s absolutely imperative that Celtic get this one right

To me I think it’s absolutely imperative that we get this one right. The job should be made available to anyone and everyone, no matter their connection with the club.

If Martin O’Neill wants the job then he will apply for it like everyone else and if he’s the best candidate he should get it. That’s the thing however, we need to get this right. We must recruit the best candidate for the job. No nepotism, no ‘old boys club’. Just the most suitable person for the role please.

This season was one I will never forget. It was honestly like a Hollywood movie at times but let’s not forget that winning the double has papered over the many cracks at our club.

The next steps our club take are going to determine whether our dominance in Scotland is set to continue or whether the days of regular doubles and trebles will be a thing of the past. The club is currently in a precarious position. There are so many challenges on the horizon.

We need a sporting director. We need a new permanent manager

We need a sporting director. We need a new permanent manager. With the amount of turnover due this summer we will need the guts of an entirely new squad.

The woman’s team has become an afterthought and needs fresh impetus after a dreadful poor campaign in the SWPL ended with a FIFTH place finish.  The academy structure needs a complete overhaul. Most of these problems need urgent attention. We have no time to lose.

Decisions made this summer will shape the future of Celtic

The decisions made this summer will shape the future of Celtic. We need to remove all emotions from the process and get the best people for the job in all areas if we truly want to modernise the club.

So what about Martin O’Neill? Well in my next article I will outline what I feel could be best role for the Kilrea man moving forward.

Conall McGinty

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