Celtic

Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy is set for a 1 December start as the new manager of Celtic, although it could be sooner depending on the completion of contracts for four members of his backroom staff who are expected to join him in Glasgow over the next seven days. (PLZ Soccer), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Watch all the highlights from Celtic's dramatic late win over St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership.

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We asked for your thoughts on Celtic's 1-0 victory over St Mirren on Saturday.

Here's what some of you said:

Joe: Whoever the next manager is has a monumental task ahead of them. The squad needs a complete overhaul. This won't be a quick fix. We were awful last night.

Peter: Dreadful performance from a dreadful team. We are so poor it defies belief. It tells you a lot about the standard of Scottish football at the moment. Would any quality manager wish to take on this situation? Would need to be mad.

Patrick: A really boring performance yesterday which might have been better if we had any squad depth. It's never been more clear that the toxic relationship between the fans and the board is hurting the players and club. Something has to give and if the fans can't communicate constructively then this will only continue.

Merky: The board are hurting the team, it's as simple as that. With lack of recruitment, lack of professionalism when trying to make signings, lack of communication and lastly lack of changes in key board decision-making positions when there have been failings year after year. Simply winning the league isn't enough, the team and club have to improve year after year and both have regressed.

Mick: Last gasp win. The board needs to stop apologising for the mistakes and give the supporters a commitment to improve the team in the January window. Nothing less will be acceptable or the dissent will continue.

James: St Mirren pushed us hard, the first half performance was dreadful all round. The game came much more to life in the second half but Celtic still looked a little off the pace. I would like to think that the off field issues aren't affecting the team but the realist in me knows it is.

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Celtic would be taking an "incredible risk" on Wilfried Nancy if they make the Columbus Crew their next manager, says Colin Miller, former Canada and Vancouver Whitecaps head coach. (Daily Record), external

Leeds United could join the race for Daizen Maeda if Celtic sanction a January sale for the Japan forward, with Everton, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers also linked with the 28-year-old. (Yorkshire Post), external

"The club needs to be united," says Celtic captain Callum McGregor as protests from fans against the board continued during yesterday's win at St Mirren. "It needs to be everyone together, pushing forward, it's been built on massive success and unity." (Sky Sports via Glasgow Times), external

Celtic left it very, very late to snatch victory in Paisley but interim boss Martin O'Neill continued his 100% league record thanks to a stoppage-time screamer from captain Callum McGregor.

Read the match report.

And let us know your thoughts on the game here.

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Celtic interim manager Martin O'Neill tells BBC Scotland: "Very happy because we've won the game with a wonder strike from a very talented player.

"A lot of frustration too. We've won a game where perhaps a draw was a fair result. We didn't create enough, we didn't take care of the ball well enough, but I'm relieved we've won.

"The minute he got himself a little angle on the edge of the box, I thought 'he's going to score here'.

"We started to get behind them a little bit [in the second half] - Maeda's pace caused them a few problems.

"There's relief as much as anything else, but you enjoy winning football matches - that's what it's about. It keeps confidence alive as much as anything else and keeps momentum going.

"At this minute, I haven't heard anything more. I would reckon I would probably be on the plane for Rotterdam and maybe not much longer.

"If the board announce a new manager in the couple of days, I will walk into the sunset."

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Johnny Kenny is hopeful his "surreal" international break with Republic of Ireland can provide a boost for his recent impressive form with Celtic.

Kenny made his debut for his national side, coming off the bench in a dramatic 3-2 victory over Hungary in Budapest.

AZ Alkmaar's Troy Parrot completed a last-minute hat-trick to seal a World Cup play-off against Czech Republic, following an assist from Kenny's Celtic team-mate Liam Scales.

"It was a surreal experience," said Kenny, who has scored four goals in his past four games at club level. "Obviously, growing up you want to play for your country and it was great to play in such a high magnitude game.

"We were written off going into it, to score, virtually last kick of the ball, is special.

"We spoke about it all week bringing the nation together and I think we've done that.

"Since the start of the campaign we want to be in the US, we've spoke so much about going to the US and past players who've been at World Cups have told us what it means to be in the World Cup with Ireland, so that's the target."

Kenny's Celtic team face a tough away match to St Mirren on Saturday evening.

Quizzed on whether he can bring his experiences from the Ireland set-up back to Celtic Kenny replied: "Yeah, 100%.

"We need to get back down to business starting with St Mirren and it's just a hectic schedule now for the next while and we need to just keep performing and getting results."

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St Mirren skipper Mark O'Hara has had another injection in a troublesome foot but is likely to miss out on the visit of Celtic. Marcus Fraser is a doubt. Shamal George will be a last-minute decision, while fellow goalkeeper Ryan Mullen will not be available. Alex Gogic returns from suspension.

Celtic remain without Kelechi Iheanacho, James Forrest and Marcelo Saracchi, while Alistair Johnston, Callum Osmand (both hamstring) and Cameron Carter-Vickers (Achilles) are long-term absentees.

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Everton will target Celtic and Japan forward Daizen Maeda, 28, in January. (Football Insider), external

Celtic interim manager Martin O'Neill reveals that defender Cameron Carter-Vickers is gloomy about his chances of making next year's World Cup for host nation USA as he faces a long recovery from an Achilles injury. (Scottish Sun), external

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Celtic's managerial search is progressing "nicely" and an announcement could come "very soon", says interim boss Martin O'Neill.

O'Neill has been in caretaker charge since the end of October following Brendan Rodgers' resignation.

The 73-year-old is set for his fifth game at the helm in Saturday evening's Premiership trip to face St Mirren.

O'Neill, speaking after Celtic's annual general meeting was abandoned amid jeering from shareholders, told Sky Sports: "I think things are progressing pretty nicely in terms of the new manager coming in.

"My departure is certainly welcomed by me if nothing else and I think at some stage or another something will happen in the very, very near future.

"For me, I only judge it game by game and like everything else if we don't win against St Mirren, don't play well in the game, then maybe it's time for the new manager to come in and progress it as quickly as possible.

"For myself now, obviously, it's the only thought after the AGM this morning just thoughts to tomorrow on St Mirren which will be very difficult for us.

"I think the new manager, that will be part of his role to unite the football club again and it's obviously very important because Celtic disunited can't really compete."

Celtic fans speak to BBC Sport Scotland after leaving the club's annual general meeting, which was cut short amid hostility between supporters and directors.

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Interim boss Martin O'Neill has been speaking to the media before Celtic face St Mirren in the Premiership on Saturday.

Here are the key lines:

• O'Neill described Celtic's abandoned AGM as "a really sad morning" and added: "I just wonder what the great Jock Stein would have thought of it all, who preached unity at the football club, said that a club not united would never be successful. It's as sad a morning as I've seen."

• On whether Peter Lawwell had no option other than to cancel the meeting: "Well, it looked that way because no one was being heard. And I think that there were an awful lot of people in the room who would have wanted to have asked questions. I'm not an apologist for the board, I'm here on an interim basis. But, there were people who had wanted to have asked questions, and the board have said that they've made mistakes. And I think there's only so many times that you can apologise, and then you have to get on with things again."

• On Ross Desmond's defence of the board and his father, Dermot, O'Neill says: "He has every right to say what he said, absolutely. I got this job 25 years ago because of one man, really. And he brought me in when he had bigger names to choose from, people who had better CVs, bigger CVs. I've had the time of my life, which was fantastic. And he brought me back here again. He did not say to me, your job is to quell the discontent."

• O'Neill believes unity at the club is still achievable: "It shouldn't be impossible. There's got to be a coming together again from this. There's an obvious disconnect at this minute, but that surely can be rectified."

• He says the board were expecting a "tough time" but there was "shock" among the hierarchy afterwards at the fractious scenes.

• The 73-year-old is "probably a bit surprised" to still be in interim charge but says there is "definitely progress being made" in the search for a permanent manager.

• Saturday "could well be" his last game in charge and O'Neill adds: "Not only am I going game by game in that sense, and a new manager coming in, but obviously you can outstay your welcome here as well too. You lose the games and people will want to try and make a change pretty quickly then after that, which I understand, because we're in the results business."

• O'Neill was at Hampden for Scotland's "brilliant" win over Denmark which secured World Cup qualification, and he "couldn't be more pleased" for goalscorer Kieran Tierney, adding: "The goal, I was right behind it. The minute it left his foot, I thought this is heading in."

• The Celtic boss will now have to "pick up Kasper Schmeichel from off the floor" after the goalkeeper and Denmark were consigned to the World Cup play-offs.

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Interim Celtic boss Martin O'Neill faces his biggest domestic test yet in Saturday's trip to face St Mirren, says former striker Cillian Sheridan.

With the search still ongoing for Brendan Rodgers' permanent replacement, the club confirmed earlier this week that O'Neill and Shaun Maloney will continue to lead the side.

O'Neill has won his three domestic games so far - 4-0 Premiership wins over Falkirk and Kilmarnock plus a 3-1 extra-time victory over Rangers in the League Cup semis - with the sole defeat a 3-1 loss at Midtjylland in the Europa League.

"It looks as if Martin O'Neill has come in and all the players look to be enjoying it a lot more," Sheridan told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"That's what it looks like in games so I can only imagine it's a similar thing in training.

"The fact that he's stayed on, I don't think will really bother the players. As long as the mood around the place is good and training is upbeat, they'll be quite happy.

"At a club like Celtic, there's always going to be noise about something, so they'll probably just have to block all that out."

Celtic currently sit seven points behind Hearts at the top of the table, albeit with a game in hand, as they prepare for the meeting with fellow League Cup finalists St Mirren.

"I think it'll probably be Martin O'Neill's biggest test domestically so far," Sheridan added.

"Everyone knows what St Mirren are like and then adding that feeling around a Saturday night game, there's just something different about the atmosphere."

Columbus Crew general manager Issa Tall has insisted he has yet to receive an approach from Celtic over Wilfried Nancy despite reports that the Scottish champions are negotiating over personal terms with the head coach and compensation with his club. (Inside The Crew podcast), external

Celtic's second-largest shareholder, Lindsell Train Limited, has reduced its stake in the club once again before the club's annual meeting on Friday. (The Herald), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Kieran Tierney has revealed he received a "lovely text" from Celtic team-mate Kasper Schmeichel after denting the Denmark goalkeeper's World Cup dream with a stunning goal.

The 28-year-old came off the bench at Hampden to curl home in the 94th minute and edge Scotland 3-2 up before Kenny McLean added a sensational strike from the halfway line as Scotland qualified for a first men's World Cup since 1998.

And while Tierney and fellow Scotland player Anthony Ralston have still be reunited with Schmeichel at Celtic, the left-back revealed the devastated Dane - whose national team will host North Macedonia in the play-off semi-finals - had quickly been in touch.

"No, he's back tomorrow, so I'll see him tomorrow," Tierney told Sky Sports.

"But he actually sent me a lovely text after the game. Within the hour or so, he texted me and Ralston, so it just shows you the professional that he is as well.

"Somebody's got to lose, and in the last few however many years, it's usually been Scotland in a game like that.

"So for us to have the fortune on our side, and the moments on our side that night, it was really special. But obviously it's a shame for Kasper and his team as well."

Two days on from Tierney's Hampden heroics, the magnitude of Scotland's achievement - and importance of his goal - are still sinking in.

"I've watched the goal back a lot, to be fair. I'm not going to hide it. After we went out, I went back to the hotel, watched it back," he said.

"Yesterday, people kept sending me different background music to the goals and that, so it's unbelievable. Titanic's a good one. Oasis was a good one. Linger. I like the Linger one as well, so there's a few.

"I've seen different angles from people in the stadium just recording it, and even you just see the reaction and what it means to people. It's honestly unbelievable. I'll do well to score a more important goal than that in my life, so it's amazing."

The congratulations have been pouring in, with Tierney even getting a name-check from Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

"He's an Arsenal fan, isn't he, so that's probably why he's mentioned me. But that's mental, that's just mental," he added.

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

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It feels like a long time now since that Dermot Desmond statement brought the shock news of Brendan Rodgers' shock resignation from Celtic.

In the 24 days that have followed, legendary manager Martin O'Neill has returned and steadied the ship on the domestic front.

Two 4-0 league wins against Falkirk and Kilmarnock have come either side of a Premier Sports Cup semi-final success against rivals Rangers.

The only real disappointment has been a sobering 3-1 Europa League defeat at Midtjylland.

But where are the club in their search for a permanent manager?

The likes of Kieran McKenna, Craig Bellamy, Robbie Keane and Kjetil Knutsen have all been linked, but Columbus Crew boss Wilfried Nancy has emerged from leftfield as the reported frontrunner.

Celtic supporters would have hoped for the confirmation of a new manager across the November international break.

However, the update they instead received from the club was that O'Neill and Shaun Maloney will continue on an interim basis for the time being.

Given that statement only came on Monday, it indicates the pair will lead the team into Saturday night's trip to St Mirren.

Despite reports suggesting Nancy is on the verge of a move to Glasgow, Celtic fans were perplexed to see comments from Columbus Crew general manager Issa Tall, who claimed, external Celtic are yet to ask for permission to speak to their head coach.

Those remarks will only add to the ire within the Celtic support, who will be posing some tough questions to the club's board at Friday's AGM.

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• St Mirren have lost 12 of their past 14 meetings with Celtic in all competitions (D2) since a 2-0 league win in September 2022.

• Celtic have won five successive away games at St Mirren in all competitions, all by a margin of 2+ goals; they last won 6+ in a row away to the Buddies in September 1987 (eight).

• St Mirren are on a five-match winless run in the Scottish Premiership (D1 L4), and could go six without a victory for the second time this calendar year, last doing so between May and August (P6 D5 L1).

• Celtic have won both Premiership matches 4-0 since Martin O'Neill returned to the club. They haven't won three league games on the spin while scoring 4+ goals and keeping a clean sheet in all three since a run of four across October and November 2003, also under Martin O'Neill.

• Celtic have faced the fewest shots (74), the fewest shots on target (26), and conceded the fewest goals (eight) of any team in the top flight this season.

• This will be St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson's 30th managerial game against Celtic in all competitions; he has won just one of 29 (D5 L23), a 2-0 victory with the Buddies in September 2022.

• During his first spell in charge of Celtic, O'Neill won all four meetings with St Mirren in all competitions without conceding. Only five Celtic managers have won their first five matches against a specific opponent while keeping a clean sheet each time: Jock Stein against Airdrieonians, David Hay against Clydebank, Liam Brady against Dundee, Neil Lennon against St Mirren, and Ronny Deila against Partick Thistle.

• Celtic's Daizen Maeda has been directly involved in 24 goals in 26 Premiership appearances in 2025 (15 goals, nine assists), the most of any player. It's three more goal involvements than he managed in 63 league games across 2023 (nine) and 2024 (12) combined.

Celtic hope to have managerial front-runner Wilfriend Nancy in the dugout in time for their visit to Hibernian on 30 November, with a compensation package of around £2m being finalised with Columbus Crew for their head coach. (TeamTalk), external

There is a possibility Japan forward Daizen Maeda could leave Celtic in January, but it depends on the situation over the appointment of a new manager. (Fabrizio Romano via Give Me Sport), external

Leeds United would likely have to increase their outlay on their manager if they were to replace Daniel Farke with Brendan Rodgers, with the Northern Irishman having earned £58,000 per week, £20,000 more than the German's current contract, while he was Celtic boss. (TeamTalk), external

Celtic's Green Brigade ultras group has accused the club of "emotional blackmail" and of using Thursday's meeting with the local council as an excuse for introducing fresh sanctions against the fans group. (Daily Record), external

Work has started on a statue to Celtic and Scotland legend Tommy Gemmell in his home town of Wishaw, North Lanarkshire. (Glasgow Times), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

The reaction to the interim stewardship of Martin O'Neill and Shaun Maloney being extended at Celtic for another few days at least has been fascinating to watch.

A meltdown among some fans, incredulous that the club's top target Wilfried Nancy must have turned the job down. A shrug of the shoulders from others, along the lines: "In O'Neill we trust".

There need be no panic among those wishing to see the speedy unveiling of the club's next permanent manager. One glaringly obvious thing seems to have been missed in all the zealous speculation: Nancy needs a work permit.

Without it, he can't take a training session in the UK, never mind a Premiership match.

So even if the deal is done for the Frenchman and his backroom team - including which of the existing Scottish coaches might be joining the new staff - Celtic must await the Home Office paperwork before he can take his place in a dugout.

Which will involve the extra hoop of a Scottish FA 'governing body endorsement for Tier 2 (Sportsperson)' in order to obtain the relevant visa. There may also be an independent panel needing to be convened to consider Nancy's skills and experience if he doesn't meet the initial criteria for the work permit.

So could we be in for a scenario in which Celtic announce the deal is done for Nancy to succeed Brendan Rodgers pending the arrival of the relevant government and SFA paperwork?

This is where the safe pair of hands comes in. It's almost certain O'Neill will take charge of Saturday evening's trip to face St Mirren, a dress rehearsal of next month's Premier Sports Cup final.

Is there a scenario in which O'Neill is still interim Celtic manager at Hampden? Possibly, owing to the fact Nancy has just completed a full season in MLS and is due some kind of holiday or a break.

Should he - or his new employers – feel he needs to recharge the batteries before jumping into the hotseat, then the O'Neill-Maloney team is already in place.

The next few games would be quite the baptism of fire for any new Celtic manager. Away to St Mirren, Feyenoord and Hibs. After that, a run of three home games: Dundee, league leaders Hearts and then Roma in the Europa League.

Then it's the first final of the season, the showpiece O'Neill steered Celtic to with that much-needed morale boost against Rangers.

There's a feeling among some in the support the 2003 Uefa Cup finalist deserves another shot at silverware. If the board - and perhaps Nancy - agree then O'Neill's interim stewardship could last several weeks longer than he, or anyone else, was expecting.

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Hampden

"Somebody at the edge of the box actually told me, 'Time, take a touch.'"

Thankfully, Kieran Tierney couldn't hear his team-mate and his misguided shout.

The Celtic left-back, brought on at right-back, let rip from 25 yards to send Scotland into a stoppage-time lead over Denmark on the most marvellous of nights in Mount Florida as World Cup qualification was secured.

"It's surreal," the Scotland goalscorer said.

"I've never really scored a goal just as important as that. What a feeling it was for the country, for the fans, for the staff, for everyone, for the team.

"I think we all deserve that with how hard we work and what we've been through these last few years.

"I think getting to the World Cup tops it off for this group because it's something that we hadn't managed to do before and we went out there and done it the hard way."

For a few magnificent moments, it seemed like Tierney was going to be the hero... but Kenny McLean had other ideas.

"I don't care, honestly because the last five minutes was dragging in," he added.

"As long as we got through, I honestly didn't care. I'm buzzing.

"I ran into the dugout and everybody was out, the subs, the staff, the coaches, and I think that shows one of our biggest strengths as a team is the togetherness.

"Through good times and bad, we're always there for each other, we want the best for each other and I just said before the game, everyone here is important.

"The people who come on, the people who don't come on, the starters, the staff, and we need to give our all. I think this team, we all do that and that's one thing we can say."