Celtic

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Former Celtic captain Jackie McNamara believes the current squad required Martin O'Neill's approach to halt their early season slide.

The Northern Irishman, who returned to the club on an interim basis in October after his previous five-year spell as manager ended in 2005, is expected to lead Celtic for the last time at home to Dundee on Wednesday.

Under O'Neill, Celtic have won all of their domestic games and one out of two in Europe. Victories over Dundee and Hearts on Sunday would take the reigning champions top of the Scottish Premiership.

"You see the fans at the game, how they take to him," said McNamara, who played for Celtic from 1995 to 2005.

"Before the game, he's doing the media, you want to listen to him. And as a player in his dressing room, it was the same. You hung on his words, you would capture him when you come into the changing room, how he put you across, made you feel fantastic.

"And that's what these players have been needing."

Brendan Rodgers' final two league games in charge were away defeats by Dundee and Hearts and the return fixture with the latter at Celtic Park could be Wilfried Nancy's first in charge, should be be named as Rodgers' permanent successor this week.

"If Nancy comes in at the start and doesn't hit the ground running, it's only going to amplify the feeling towards the board and making that change rather than sticking with that is a big decision for the club," added McNamara, touching on recent tensions between directors and supporters.

Hear more from McNamara on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

Watch highlights from Celtic's Scottish Premiership win at Easter Road on Sunday.

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Auchinleck Talbot sold out hospitality packages for their upcoming Scottish Cup tie with Celtic shortly after the draw was made. (Sun), external

Two former referees say Celtic full-back Colby Donovan should have been sent off for a challenge on Obita in the visitors' 2-1 win at Easter Road. (The Ref's View via Record, external)

Steve Conroy and Des Roache also bemoan a lack of consistency over the handball rule. (The Ref's View via Glasgow Times, external)

The penalty for handball given against Celtic's Liam Scales following a VAR review in their win over Hibs was the correct call, believes the defender. (Herald - subscription required), external

Read Monday's Scottish gossip

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Celtic interim manager Martin O'Neill: "Delighted to win. Hibs are very strong and a good side. To win after the excursions of Thursday night is very pleasing.

"First goal was through pressing, the second is a magnificent move. The second half I knew Hibs would come strong. It was a long way home. That's when the tiredness sets in. so for us to see the game through was remarkably pleasing.

"We played some really, really lovely football again [in the first half]. The last 20-odd minutes [in the second half], I was so, so pleased with the team.

O'Neill reiterated that Wednesday's game against Dundee at Celtic Park is likely to be his last in interim charge.

However, on the prospect of staying on longer, he adds: "I don't think that's going to happen. The new manager has got to get himself together and stamp his own personality on the team and prepare himself for January to try to enhance the squad.

On what Celtic means to him, O'Neill says: "Everything. Absolutely everything. I remember when my father said to me when I was a player: 'If Celtic come for you, you go there'.

"The second best thing is managing the team. And they've come for me twice."

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Former Scotland forward James McFadden on Celtic interim boss Martin O'Neill: "He's come in to do what he's done and probably exceeded expectation. It was to come in and bring stability back to the team.

"He's done that brilliantly, winning games and performances have been great. You can tell what the fans feel about him. He's a legend. He's certainly not [tainted his legacy].

"You can tell he's enjoying himself. He's been exactly what Celtic needed at this time. You can see a team working and fighting for each other.

"His job was to stabilise the club and put them in a better place, and that's undoubtedly going to be the case [when he leaves]."

Interim Celtic manager Martin O'Neill preserved his perfect Scottish Premiership record as two goals in 33 first-half seconds helped defeat Hibernian.

Have your say on the game here.

Read the match report here.

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Crystal Palace and Fulham are among the clubs who are continuing to monitor highly-rated Glasgow-born Republic of Ireland winger Rocco Vata, with Watford valuing the former Celtic 20-year-old at £20m. (Daily Mail), external

Watford's Rocco Vata, who made six substitute appearances for Celtic, has changed representatives with "European clubs already showing interest". (Fabrizio Romano on X), external

Suggestions that Columbus Crew striker Wessam Abou Ali could follow Wilfried Nancy to Celtic should the head coach's switch be confirmed are fanciful because the 26-year-old Palestine international has been sidelined through injury since September. (Football Transfers), external

Former Scotland centre-half Steven Caldwell has covered Columbus Crew matches as a pundit and is sceptical about whether Wilfried Nancy's tactics, which work in the heat of the United States summer, will be effective in a Scottish winter with Celtic. (The National On Sunday), external

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Liam Scales says Martin O'Neill has given the Celtic players a much-needed confidence boost since taking interim charge.

O'Neill, alongside Shaun Maloney, has won six of his seven matches, including a League Cup semi-final victory over Rangers and impressive triumph at Feyenoord in the Europa League on Thursday.

"It's been brilliant, it's been a mad couple of weeks and we haven't had much time to sit and think," defender Scales said.

"The gaffer has been great as well. We lacked confidence and he's done a lot to give players confidence.

"We just needed to stick together and get that confidence back, and we still have a long way to go. There's room for improvement. We know that but it's nice to see that bit of confidence in players that were maybe struggling a little bit, it's been a nice change."

Celtic travel to face Hibs on Sunday in what is set to be the 73-year-old's last game before Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy is appointed.

"However long he's [O'Neill] here for, if we can just keep winning games, that'd be great for us and great for him as well," Scales, 27, added.

"It's important because you don't want to be unstable. You want to have a clear picture going forward. Right now we're all really happy and enjoying it and it's been great but it will be nice to have that stability as a group and as a club.

"We don't have much time to think about anything other than the next game. We have games every few days and that's keeping us occupied at the moment.

"I'm sure when everything's done and announcements are made, that's the time really to start to buy into what a new manager is going to bring rather than now when we have games to win."

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Hibs defender Grant Hanley drops out through suspension but Josh Campbell returns from injury. Rudi Molotnikov (ankle), Junior Hoilett (niggle) and Dylan Levitt (appendix) are out.

Celtic hope Colby Donovan can shake off a foot knock while Kelechi Iheanacho and Marcelo Saracchi are in contention after hamstring injuries.

James Forrest remains out while Alistair Johnston, Callum Osmand (both hamstring) and Cameron Carter-Vickers (Achilles) are long-term absentees.

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• After their 2-1 win in February, Hibs could enjoy back-to-back home league victories over Celtic for the first time since December 2018.

• Since the start of 2017-18, Celtic have won just 27% of their league visits to Easter Road (four/15), their lowest away win rate against any opponent in the Scottish Premiership in this period.

• Hibs have only lost one of their past 18 home league games (W11 D6), going down 1-0 to Rangers in October.

• Celtic have won three successive league games without conceding. The Hoops last won more in a row in December 2024 (seven), and last did so while keeping a clean sheet each time in their opening six league matches of last season.

• No side has scored more 90th-minute (or later) winners in the Premiership this season than Celtic (three, level with Hearts), including Callum McGregor last time out at St Mirren. The last club to score more in a single campaign in the competition were Rangers in 2016-17 (five).

• Against Motherwell on Tuesday night, Hibs had just two shots, their lowest in a Premiership match since February 2022 against Celtic (also two), and the joint fewest any side has managed in a single match in the competition in 2025-26 (Dundee also two v Hibs in August).

• Celtic's Callum McGregor has been involved in 76 open play sequences ending in a shot in the Premiership this season – at least 13 more than any other player.

• Hibs have scored five goals following high turnovers in the league – more than any other team – despite the fact only two teams have had fewer shots following high turnovers than David Gray's side (10) in the division this term (Aberdeen eight, Dundee seven).

Luis Palma's good form for Lech Poznan could persuade Wilfried Nancy to end the 25-year-old Honduras winger's loan early once the Frenchman is appointed Celtic manager. (Once Noticias), external

Interim manager Martin O'Neill privately voiced real reservations about his Celtic team's ability to go to Rotterdam and compete with - let alone beat - Feyenoord before leading them to a famous 3-1 Europa League win. (Graham Spiers on X), external

Read the rest of Saturday's Scottish gossip.

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Celtic interim manager Martin O'Neill believes the club will return to prominence and "compete properly" again in European football.

O'Neill led Celtic to a first away victory in Europe since 2021 in Thursday's 3-1 win over Feyenoord, leaving them well placed to reach the knockout stages of the Europa League, with games against Roma, Bologna and Utrecht remaining.

The 73-year-old expects Sunday's Premiership match at Hibernian to be his last in charge with a deal for Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy believed to be close.

O'Neill enjoyed consistent success in Europe during his first spell as Celtic manager between 2000 and 2005, but the club failed to reach the Champions League this season and have suffered setbacks against the likes of Bodo/Glimt, Midtjylland, Malmo, Ferencvaros, Copenhagen, Cluj, AEK Athens and Maribor in recent years.

"What I think will happen is that Celtic will come back," O'Neill said. "They will compete properly in Europe. That's my strong belief and that should be the aim for this football club.

"Domestically we've been very, very strong. But you want to be strong in European football because that's what was set in 1967. And that, I'm afraid, is what it's all about.

"So we have to be that. Are we at this minute? No, we're not. Midjytlland taught us a lesson.

"But it was nice to restore some of that. And that might be a sign. It doesn't mean that we're going to take all the points. But qualification would be nice to get through into the knockout stages. That would be lovely. And it would be a start.

"But mark my words, Celtic will be back to properly involved in European football."

O'Neill hopes to have full-backs Colby Donovan and Marcelo Saracchi available for his final game.

Donovan was limping heavily before his cross led to Benjamin Nygren's clincher in Rotterdam and was replaced by Anthony Ralston. Saracchi is set to return from a hamstring problem.

"Colby got a stud in his foot, which looked quite nasty," O'Neill said.

"I thought he had taken cramp, but by the time he came off it was bleeding and it didn't look great.

"But I think he'll just push it off and say he wants to play, which is lovely. Saracchi wants to be fit all the time so he's available for Sunday, which is great."

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Celtic interim manager Martin O'Neill has been talking to the media before his side's trip to Hibernian on Sunday.

Here are the best bits from his news conference:

• O'Neill says the 3-1 win at Feyenoord was a "throwback" to the days when Celtic had "brilliant footballers at your disposal".

• He was heartened by not just the "magnificent" performance but also the fight they showed to come from behind.

• O'Neill reiterated the importance that restored confidence has been in Celtic's recent winning run under his management.

• With Wilfired Nancy expected to be appointed, O'Neill is as bored as reporters regarding his future - but thinks there will be "movement" at the beginning of next week. O'Neill has had conversations with board members who say progress has been made.

• He praised the work of his backroom staff during his spell as interim manager and says the thrill of winning games never changes.

• O'Neill says his appetite for management will never go away, but admits he would have been "dubious" had he been offered a job by any club other than Celtic.

• Talking about Celtic's abandoned AGM, O'Neill says he wishes questions had been asked in a way that would have brought answers from the board. Stressed again that Celtic "united" is a far better club than one disunited.

• He thinks Celtic "will come back and compete properly in Europe" and that should be the aim moving forwards.

• O'Neill is unbothered by his legacy at Celtic, but says helping to "change the course of Rangers' dominance" in the early 2000s does make him proud.

• Team news: Colby Donovan had a stud in his foot against Feyenoord, but should be in contention to play at Easter Road. Marcelo Saracchi is also available.

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Celtic midfielder Benjamin Nygren was delighted to play his part in a "huge" Europa League win on Thursday and believes the club are heading in the "right direction".

The Parkhead outfit came from behind to beat Feyenoord 3-1 in Rotterdam - their first away win in Europe since 2021.

Nygren lashed in the third for the visitors, meaning Celtic have won five from six under interim manager Martin O'Neill, who is set to make way for Wilfried Nancy.

"It's been going a little bit up and down for us and that's not the way we've wanted it to be," the Sweden midfielder said.

"But I think lately we have stepped in the right direction with more wins.

"It feels huge and such an important win. It changes a lot. We're now back in it."

Unrest among the club's fanbase remains, but protests against the board were parked as the travelling support celebrated a famous night in the Netherlands.

With Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup final and four points off Premiership leaders Hearts, the off-field turmoil has been a source of confusion for some of Nygren's inner circle back in Sweden.

But the man himself says it shows how much they care.

"I have talked to friends and family about it," he said. "They have been asking me about it because they don't really know about it.

"You can see things from so many different perspectives. But my view is that it's such a big club and everyone really cares about it. So I just think it's a great thing.

"It would be weird if it was the opposite, if nobody cared that we missed out on the Champions League.

"You can feel it in the city when we lose a game. And if we win a game you can feel it. That's what makes the club so special and so big.

"I knew before I came here that Celtic was a massive club. But that's something I feel more now. Even although other clubs have a lot of fans, everyone here really cares. It's a part of their lives and what they live for."

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Former Scotland striker James McFadden on BBC Sportsound

Celtic looked so comfortable at times it was like a training session.

The reaction to going a goal behind, given they don't win many games away from home in Europe, was excellent.

Overall that was as good a Celtic performance away from home in Europe that I've seen.

The players will be shattered, but what a performance from them.

BBC Sport Scotland chief sports writer Tom English

I can understand Celtic wanting to look to the future, but maybe the obvious solution is staring them in the face.

With the group of players that was really struggling in the latter weeks and months of Brendan Rodgers' reign, Martin O'Neill's got a big win on the road in Europe on the big stage. They don't do that very often. And he's done it on his second attempt.

It just shows you the magnetism of the man. Even though he's 73 and he hasn't done it for a number of years, he's still got it.

Journalist Moira Gordon on BBC's Scottish Football Podcast

If not quite the swagger of Celtic of old, O'Neill has certainly brought back a bit more belief, a bit more positivity around the place, even in the dressing room, and you see it in the way the team are playing and approaching games.

Bizarrely he's probably putting a bit of extra pressure on the new guy coming in. They've seen what Martin can do, seen a wee bit of growth.

The new guy's going to have to come in and maintain that upward trajectory. If not, people will be suddenly be calling for Martin to come back again.

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We asked for your views after Martin O'Neill steered Celtic to a 3-1 Europa League win away to Feyenoord.

Here's what some of you said:

Edward: Top performance from a team committed to getting a result away from home at a very difficult location against a decent team, the season has just got really interesting. The manager has pulled another rabbit out of the hat, Martin O'Neill's legacy is enhanced.

Gerry: No one was confident seeing the teamsheet but well done to the players for getting at it and a massive thank you to Martin for bringing some joy back!

Paul: A very rare and momentous away day victory for Celtic in Europe, brilliant all-round squad performance, which could well be a turning point for them in an extremely difficult season thus far. It was refreshing to see Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate, Yang Hyun-Jun actually on their A-game and young Colby Donavan was superb too. Pity that O'Neill is leaving now as he's been instrumental in steadying the ship.

Neil: A great night in Europe. It was a pleasure to see the team play with some confidence and control large parts of the game. We defended when asked and have put ourselves back in the mix to qualify. O'Neill, if he wants it, should be part of the senior structure at our club. Take a hint, board. Martin would be a great mentor to any new coaching team. Thank you Martin for restoring some pride to my club.

Paul: Judging by the result, you'd think Celtic were great, but it was a dismal display and the result put an undeserved shine on our performance. Our goals came largely through Feyenoord's terrible defending. Some credit to Maeda for his pressing, but he's a shadow of last season's player. This squad need a rocket up them still and I hope the next manager has enough time before the transfer window to evaluate, because we need some freshness, pace and players with speed of thought.

Graham: The first time in a long while that the midfield three all performed at their best and as a unit. Hatate has finally turned up. Hopefully this can be the turning point on and off the field and the board can perform in the transfer market in January.

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• Feyenoord suffered their first home defeat against Scottish opposition in major European competition (W5 D1). They've now lost their past two against Scottish sides, as many as across their prior 11 combined (W7 D2).

• Across major European competition, the result was Celtic's first away win by a 2+ goal margin since a 3-0 Champions League victory over Anderlecht in September 2017, this serving as their 32nd match since that success.

• Celtic claimed their 10th win against sides from the Netherlands, only winning more matches against teams from Portugal and Switzerland (both 12).

• Yang Hyun-jun became just the second South Korean to score for Celtic in major European competition, after Ki Sung-Yueng against Udinese in the Europa League in September 2011.

• Reo Hatate has scored 2 goals in the 2025-2026 Europa League (one in this game), no Celtic player has more.

• Callum McGregor made his 69th appearance in European competition for Celtic during this match, the joint-most in the club's history alongside Billy McNeill.

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"It's been like a time machine and just how I thought it would be," said Luke McCowan of working with Martin O'Neill at Celtic.

"I would have loved to have seen him when he was 20 years younger and probably had more energy and more hunger!"

Thursday's 3-1 Europa League win over Feyenoord in Rotterdam was fifth win in six matches for 73-year-old O'Neill, brought in on a temporary basis following the resignation of Brendan Rodgers.

It ended the club's four-year wait for an away win in Europe and was Celtic's first success in the Netherlands since O'Neill led them to Champions League qualifying success against Ajax in 2001.

"He's amazing," McCowan said. "Just an unbelievable character. The way he talks in the team meetings, it's just brilliant. He just says stuff that is at the top of his mind there and then, and it just breaks the ice within the whole room.

"He's able to take the heat off a serious situation or a serious team talk, he's able to make it fun and light but at the same time tells you that there are demands that come with playing for this club.

"That's the main thing he always pushes. Even right after the game he came in and said, 'Right lads, we're in tomorrow, we've got a game on Sunday'. That was his first message.

"You can tell he's been a top manager and that is why he is so respected.

"His best quality is man-managing people and getting the best out of the crowd that he's got.

"It's just been great seeing the sort of demands he places on everybody, knowing that when you play for Celtic this is what is needed. Then he's just brought that humour with how he is, and it's been great. It's been class."

Former Celtic managers Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers are contenders to replace Daniel Farke at Leeds United, with the German under increasing pressure. (Talksport), external

Liverpool and Nottingham Forest are monitoring Celtic youngster Dara Jikiemi, who can sign professional forms with the Scottish champions at the end of the season. (Daily Record), external