Celtic Face £1m Martin O’Neill Standoff After 3 Straight Defeats: Should The Club Sack Him Now?

Celtic Face £1m Martin O’Neill Standoff After 3 Straight Defeats: Should The Club Sack Him Now? Celtic face a tense decision over Martin O’Neill’s future after a bruising September that has turned a title race into a boardroom headache. The 74-year-old admitted he would reflect after three straight defeats, while chief executive Michael Nicholson backed him. The sequence hurt. Rangers won 3-0 in the Premier Sports Cup, Ferencvaros then beat Celtic 3-1 at Parkhead in the Europa League, and Rangers followed with a 1-0 Premiership victory at the same ground. Celtic still lead the table, but Rangers have closed the gap to two points. Those results changed the mood quickly. O’Neill only signed a one-year contract in June, with an option for another season, after guiding Celtic to the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup double last term. Celtic’s official announcement praised his nine major honours at the club, while the manager said that last season had strengthened his desire to deliver more success. Now the money has entered the argument. Former Celtic defender Charlie Mulgrew claimed O’Neill could be due close to £1m if the club end his contract. That figure has not been confirmed by Celtic, so it should be treated as Mulgrew’s estimate rather than an established contractual amount. Mulgrew believes O’Neill has little reason to walk away without the compensation he believes the agreement provides. Celtic, meanwhile, suffered a financial hit after missing out on the Champions League, with the club reporting a £4.8m post-tax loss for the year ended June 2026. Cash reserves stood at £66.4m, according to the financial report. That backdrop makes the situation awkward. Paying a large settlement would remove the immediate uncertainty, yet doing so after three defeats could leave the board facing questions about another costly managerial change. Keeping O’Neill carries its own risk if performances continue to slide. There has been plenty of noise around possible replacements, including Roy Keane. However, Keane recently said his desire to manage remains alive while admitting he has turned down opportunities and enjoys his broadcasting career. The Celtic links therefore remain speculation rather than an appointment in waiting. Asmir Begovic has praised Keane’s coaching qualities from their time together at Ipswich, describing his sessions and demands as something he valued. Begovic’s comments offer a perspective, but they do not amount to evidence that Celtic have chosen Keane. “If he just walks away and says ‘thanks’, I don’t think he is getting a penny – or he is getting very little – compared to what he is due now. If they got rid of him now, it would be close to £1million he is owed, I would imagine. “I think the standoff now is Martin O’Neill still thinks he can do the job, and I don’t think Martin O’Neill is leaving with no money. I don’t think Celtic want to pay him. Things aren’t a disaster right now; he has only lost three games – three big games, and that is a disaster at Celtic sometimes – but if you actually take a step back, he is still top of the league. “There is a still a lot that can be done this season. If there is one man that can do it. So my point is, I think he would have liked to have done that [left in the summer], but how do you know back that contract and that money regardless of what age you are?” Begovic told Hajper :”You want to see someone like Roy Keane back in the game, inspiring the next generation and sharing their knowledge. I absolutely loved working with him and will always be grateful, he gave me the chance to play for Ipswich, which really helped propel me into the Premier League. “It is a shame it came to an early end as I would have loved to work with him longer, but Portsmouth called me back and the rest is history. “He was fantastic, his sessions and his demands were things I really thrived on. Top managers with his level of achievement instantly command respect from the players. I am surprised and it is a shame he is not currently involved in coaching. “He seems to be doing well in punditry and enjoying that life, but if he ever fancies coaching again, the players will be grateful to have him back in the game and on the sidelines.” Should Celtic pay the reported £1m and end Martin O’Neill’s reign now? GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – SEPTEMBER 13: Martin O’Neill, Manager of Celtic, looks on before the Premier Sports Cup Quarter Final match between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox Stadium on September 13, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images) From Celtic’s perspective, patience has a clear footballing argument. The club still sits first in the Premiership, and O’Neill delivered the domestic double only months ago. Three defeats against Rangers and Ferencvaros created serious concern, but they do not erase the work that secured last season’s trophies. The board should judge the next run of matches on results, performances and the squad’s response rather than speculation about replacements. If Celtic regain control of the league race, the argument for immediate action weakens. If the poor displays continue, the pressure will become harder to contain. For now, the cost and league position give Celtic reasons to hold their nerve firmly. But I feel they should make the decision.