“I spoke to Graeme Souness about this just the other day,” Martin O’Neill

The Celtic Star

·2 juin 2025

“I spoke to Graeme Souness about this just the other day,” Martin O’Neill

Martin O’Neill reckons that the appeal of the Champions League and perhaps the prospect of a better challenge from theRangers will be the factors that help convince Brendan Rodgers to remain at Celtic beyond the upcoming season which as things stand is the final campaign of his three year contract.

An Evening with Martin O’Neill. Image Celtic FC

Vidéos OneFootball

Ange Postecoglou facing the sack as Spurs manager

Rodgers returned to Celtic in June 2023 to replace Tottenham bound Ange Postecoglou. And the latest from south of the border is that the Australian is set to be sacked by Daniel Levy, despite delivering the Europa League glory that the Spurs fans cried.

Postecoglou will NOT be short of offers and if the latest rumours turn out to be accurate, it might be a blessing in disguise for the former Celtic boss who certainly deserves so much better.

Martin O’Neill apointed Celtic manager, 1st June 2000. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Martin O’Neill spoke to Scottish Sun yesterday on the 25th Anniversary of him being appointed Celtic manager and kicking off a 21st Century first quarter that has been utterly dominant for Celtic with alongside MON, notably shout-outs due to Gordon Strachan, Neil Lennon (twice), Ronny Deila, Brendan Rodgers (twice) and of course Ange Postecoglou.

Martin O’Neill on Brendan Rodgers staying on as Celtic manager

On who will be the Celtic boss next June, O’Neill certainly hopes it will still be Rodgers and reckons that that will indeed be the case.

Brendan Rodgers, celebrates with his players next to the Scottish Premiership trophy after the match between Celtic and St Mirren at Celtic Park on May 17, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“I wasn’t aware that Brendan only had one more year to run on his contract, but I would have thought Celtic want to keep him at the club. And hopefully he would want to stay. He’s set a very good standard there,” the former Celtic manager told Scottish Sun.

The Champions League’s new format suits Celtic

“I’m also thinking that the brush he had with the Champions League would encourage him to give it another go in the next few years.

“I actually believe the new format suits Celtic. Going in again next season will give the players, staff, board and support something to look forward to. And I’d be hopeful that Brendan would want that for next season, and the season after.

“With that in mind, I’d be really surprised if he didn’t stay on. I certainly hope he does.”

Rangers substitute Neraysho Kasanwirjo runs on to the pitch to throw items off the pitch that appear to have been thrown into the Celtic penalty area during the second half of the match. theRangers v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, Ibrox. Sunday 04 May 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

The sale of theRangers with a share issue to follow to raise £20m to fund investment in the team hints at a stronger challenge for Celtic coming from Ibrox and that is something the Martin O’Neill welcomes and in his view Celtic needs. He explained the reasons why.

‘(the)Rangers need to get their act together’

“I spoke to Graeme Souness about this just the other day,” he said. “I was saying how (the)Rangers need to get their act together, for want of a better expression. I genuinely believe them being strong helps Celtic.

“Obviously they are looking for a manager, and that will be the start of them making inroads. There’s also been big talk about investment. In a one-off game, (the)Rangers have proved they can beat Celtic. But can they find the consistency required?

Adam Idah celebrates scoring at Ibrox to level the score at 1-1. theRangers v Celtic, 4 May 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

“Can they go away from home and win the matches they are maybe expected to win? That hasn’t happened in the last couple of years with this team.”

Why we’re stayed away from their takeover story

The Celtic Star has deliberately stayed as far away from theRangers takeover story as possible but it’s going to be of more interest what the new owners do in terms of a new manager and funding a major rebuild, given than the team that won nothing in the season just ended is already breaking up.

VAR decision at Ibrox for their offside goal. theRangers v Celtic, 4 May 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Cruise control costed Celtic the Scottish Cup

Celtic too will keep an eye on that – they always do – but the urgent matters to deal with are Brendan’s contract and strengthening the squad for the Champions League challenges ahead. The Celtic team that post-Munich cruised to the finishing line rather than sprinting needs to rediscover its hunger.

They probably thought with no challenge in the league to speak of that and the Scottish Cup on top to give us a treble was a formality. Those type of assumptions are always liable to bite you in the backside in football and that’s how it turned out.

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