Martin O’Neill increasingly likely to land permanent Celtic manager position after Old Firm derby victory
Martin O’Neill masterminded a 3-1 Celtic victory over Rangers on Sunday to put the club in an excellent position to win the Scottish Premiership title.
The Hoops are now just one point behind Hearts at the summit, and still have to play the Edinburgh club on the final day.
As a result, O’Neill could be set to leave Celtic as a hero in the summer when his contract expires, with a potential domestic double on the cards.
However, one UK bookmaker believes he is increasingly likely to stay on for the 2026-27 campaign at 6/1, with Oddschecker on 10 May confirming that these odds have been slashed.
Therefore, O’Neill could be a permanent presence in the Celtic dugout going forward.
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VISIT THE MANAGER HUBCan Martin O’Neill lead Celtic to a new golden age?
Since O’Neill’s return to Celtic, the club have looked like a different team.
The Hoops have transformed from a club in crisis to one that appears on a mission to lift the title.
| Martin O’Neill’s record at Celtic since returning | |
| Games managed | 24 |
| Wins | 17 |
| Draws | 4 |
| Losses | 3 |
| Win percentage | 70.8% |
This is now completely in their hands, and the Old Firm outfit is now arguably the favourite to lift the Scottish Premiership come the season’s end.
However, there will no doubt be concern about how long O’Neill could stay as Celtic manager if the appointment was to become permanent.
The manager is now 74 years old, and the Hoops could find themselves in another managerial hunt in a season or two.
Therefore, O’Neill could simply find himself being a quick fix and unable to deliver a new golden age in Glasgow.
Who else is linked to the Celtic job?
Football Insider has exclusively revealed that Jens Berthel Askou is high on Celtic’s shortlist ahead of the summer.
As a result, the Motherwell boss is currently the favourite with one bookmaker at 2/1 odds.
Robbie Keane and Roberto Martinez also remain in the mix at 4/1 and 5/1 odds, with both managers being heavily linked to the position since Wilfried Nancy’s sacking in January.
Thomas Frank is also in the mix at 12/1, although the former Tottenham Hotspur manager is only an outsider.
Nevertheless, it remains to be seen who Celtic will choose to appoint in the summer in what is a massive decision for the board to make.
Target: Elijah Just (Motherwell)
Long-term: Carter-Vickers out
League Pos: 2nd (61 pts)
Status: Summer Talks Underway
Revenue: £143.6m (2025)