Martin O'Neill is considering his future as Celtic manager after a damaging 1-0 defeat to Rangers at Celtic Park. The loss was the third in a week for the 74-year-old, who conceded his age may be a factor in whether he continues.
Ryan Naderi's thirty-third minute strike settled the derby, a result that followed a 3-1 home loss to Ferencvaros in the Europa League and a 3-0 defeat at Ibrox just days earlier. Despite the recent slump, Celtic remain top of the Scottish Premiership, holding a two-point lead over their rivals with eighteen points from seven games.
O'Neill told reporters he would take time to assess his position. "I genuinely will reflect and see," O'Neill said. "It's a matter of whether I can help the team. The manager is supposed to be able to do that."
He also made a pointed reference to his age. "I think every single time something crops up and things don't go so well, age plays a part," O'Neill added. "And, do you know what, they might be right."
A week to forget
The manager's introspection follows a brutal sequence of results. The side had been four goals ahead on aggregate against LASK in their Champions League play-off before a collapse saw them drop into the Europa League. Their European campaign then began with that disappointing defeat to Ferencvaros, where Mika Baur's goal proved a mere consolation.
O'Neill has experimented heavily in search of a solution, trying different midfield combinations and even fielding a five-defender system in a league match. High-profile signings Camilo Duran and Kasper Hogh have been accommodated without delivering the desired impact, though Duran remains the club's top scorer this season with three goals.
Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton observed a significant gap between the teams in the derby. Sutton said Celtic had big problems and that Rangers were better in every department, though he noted the home side improved in the first half without being brilliant.
What comes next
Neil Lennon, a former Celtic manager, said O'Neill was hurting and smarting from the results. Lennon said the international break had arrived at a good time for him to regroup, adding that O'Neill still felt he had the energy for the job. "When you get a week like this - not only defeats but the manner of the defeats - he knows himself more than anyone there's going to be a lot of scrutiny, criticism and introspection," Lennon said.
The team's recent form shows two wins and three losses from their last five matches, with all three defeats coming consecutively. They now face a trip to face Motherwell on October 11, a match that will be closely watched for the team's response. The full schedule is available on our fixtures page.
Celtic's league position remains strong, but the psychological blow of this week is clear. O'Neill said he would try to get a couple of days away and then speak to the board after reflecting on the games. The club's next move, and the manager's decision, will define the early season.
Read the full report at BBC Sport Football
On September 22, Martin O'Neill said his tactical changes had not worked. O'Neill said he could not question the effort of his side after the 1-0 loss to Rangers. The manager said the players would regroup during the international break. O'Neill said he would undertake a period of self-reflection. Celtic remain first in the Premiership with 18 points from seven games.
