Martin O’Neill Celtic talks concern emerges amid fresh Parkhead uncertainty

Former Celtic midfielder Scott Allan does not expect Martin O’Neill to leave the club before the Hoops return to Scottish Premiership action.

O’Neill’s position has come under increased scrutiny following a difficult spell for Celtic, with the manager himself admitting after the latest Old Firm defeat to Rangers that he would take time to consider whether he was still the right person to lead the club.

That admission created further uncertainty around his future, although Celtic chief executive Michael Nicholson subsequently offered public backing to the experienced manager.

The situation has remained a talking point during the international break, with Allan suggesting that communication between the club’s hierarchy and supporters has contributed to the uncertainty.

Speaking on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard, the former Celtic midfielder said communication had been one of the major problems surrounding the club.

He also suggested that the circumstances surrounding the public statements made by the club had raised questions, particularly given O’Neill’s status within Celtic.

Allan expects O’Neill to remain in charge

O’Neill said after the Rangers defeat that he planned to take some time away from the immediate pressure before deciding what he wanted to do next.

The 74-year-old has enjoyed a successful return to Celtic, but recent results have inevitably increased the scrutiny surrounding his position.

Allan believes the international break has given O’Neill the opportunity to step away from the noise, assess Celtic’s recent performances and consider the reaction from supporters.

“He’s been away for a few days and cleared his head, and probably looked at some of the reaction to the performance,” Allan said.

However, Allan does not expect that period of reflection to result in O’Neill walking away before Celtic’s next Premiership fixture.

“I think any guy who’s been in football, especially O’Neill for that length of time, the natural reaction is to hang on in there and fight to prove people wrong,” he said.

“For me I don’t expect him to leave before the next league game.”

Motherwell match could provide an early answer

Celtic’s return to domestic action against Motherwell is now likely to attract considerable attention.

O’Neill’s own comments ensured that questions over his future would remain throughout the international break, while Nicholson’s public backing indicated that the club still intends to support him.

The Motherwell fixture will therefore provide an important opportunity for O’Neill and his players to respond on the pitch.

For now, Allan’s expectation is that the Celtic boss will remain in position and attempt to turn the situation around rather than bring his second spell at the club to an abrupt end.

The focus will now shift towards Celtic’s first performance after the international break, with O’Neill’s response and the team’s result likely to shape the conversation arou