Celtic: Three key issues for Martin O'Neill as permanent coach

After more than five months since the sacking of Wilfried Nancy, Celtic fans have finally received confirmation from their club's new manager. It's the man who pulled it together not once, but twice last season to lead the team to the Scottish Premiership title and the Scottish Cup. Martin O'Neill has cemented his status as a legendary figure at Parkhead by ending a tumultuous campaign with a league and cup double. Now the 74-year-old is expected to build on that success in a full season as coach, but what are the key issues facing him and the club?

Improve the playing style
In a chaotic season that led to two managerial sackings, two interim O'Neill returns, and serious discontent between the fans and the club, Celtic's season quickly became a matter of survival. They ultimately accomplished that by winning, finishing with an impressive nine-game winning streak. Fans won't dwell on the disjointed performances when they look back on the second-half goals that delivered the glory in the title decider against Hearts. However, next season the supporters will want to see more content. Much of that will depend on O'Neill and his staff, who have a full pre-season with the squad, as well as improvements to a heavily criticized transfer policy. Addressing the recruitment issues goes beyond the manager, with changes expected in that department following several disappointing transfer windows. There are also rumors swirling about a number of Celtic players, with exits expected for Daizen Maeda, Arne Engels and Reo Hatate.

Making an impact in Europe
Before you know it, the World Championship will be over and the new domestic season will begin. There are just over seven weeks left until the 2026-27 Premiership campaign begins on August 1. Celtic will discover their fate in the play-off round of the Champions League two days later. The first and second matches of the battle that will determine whether O'Neill's men play among Europe's elite next season will take place before the end of that month. A humiliating defeat at the same stage last year against Kairat Almaty set the tone for Brendan Rodgers' eventual sacking. As well as dominating at domestic level, O'Neill's first spell as Celtic coach in the early 2000s also focused on overachieving in Europe – most notably a UEFA Cup final appearance in 2003. He showed signs of those European qualities again with a Europa League win against Feyenoord and a 10-man draw against Bologna, but Celtic's campaign was effectively ended by a 4–1 defeat at home to Stuttgart in the first game of a knockout match. The Northern Irishman will want to improve in that area next season. With the significant prize money that comes with qualifying for the Champions League, both he and the club hope the team will be in the table at the top of Europe.

O'Neill's final season?
Given the role O'Neill played during his two interim spells last season, many see him as the safe option to lead Celtic into the new season. However, many fans are not convinced that the club's board of directors will accept thispotential one-year security blanket to draw up the long-term plan. There is an option for an extra season with O'Neill if all goes well and he wants to stay, but at 74 he has already acknowledged that life as a manager is not going to get any easier. The next 12 months offer Celtic the opportunity to get their affairs in order for the future as they look to maintain their dominance in Scotland and progress in Europe. But the supporters - many of whom have persistently denounced the club's board over the past year - will need to see evidence of that progress if there is to be any chance of a united atmosphere for the coming season.

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