Hugh Keevins reveals intriguing Celtic manager update and Martin O’Neill demand

Hugh Keevins sends Celtic warning as Martin O’Neill awaits crucial talks

Hugh Keevins believes Martin O’Neill must be given firm financial assurances if he is to remain in charge of Celticbeyond next season.

According to Keevins, the key figure in determining O’Neill’s future is principal shareholder Dermot Desmond, whom he describes as the club’s true decision-maker due to his significant influence behind the scenes.

Keevins argues that O’Neill, after delivering what he calls an improbable league and Scottish Cup Double, now holds the strongest position in negotiations and should demand meaningful backing rather than vague promises.

The veteran columnist suggested O’Neill “needs hard cash, not soft soap” when discussions take place, insisting financial commitment will be vital if the 74-year-old is to believe another campaign is worthwhile.

Despite Celtic supporters renewing season tickets in huge numbers, Keevins questioned how optimism can truly exist without certainty over the managerial situation or the club’s transfer ambitions heading into the new campaign.

He also credited O’Neill with helping calm tensions between sections of the support and the club hierarchy, describing his return as central to restoring unity at Celtic Park during a turbulent period.

However, Keevins warned that harmony could quickly disappear if O’Neill feels he will not receive sufficient funds to strengthen the squad — particularly with qualification for the lucrative UEFA Champions League looming large.

The comparison was also made to the early 2000s, when O’Neill’s first spell at Celtic was backed heavily in the transfer market, bringing in figures such as Chris Sutton, Neil Lennon and Alan Thompson — a core group that helped take the club to the 2003 UEFA Cup final.

Keevins also pointed to early transfer activity at Rangers, including reported interest in Lawrence Shankland, as a reminder that Celtic cannot afford complacency despite domestic dominance.

In Keevins’ view, O’Neill will want guarantees that Celtic are prepared to build rather than simply assume success will continue.