Nov 2, 2026 10:06 AM

Chris Sutton has blamed Celtic manager, Martin O'Neill, for one issue the club are facing right now.

Where do Celtic go from here? That is exactly what the fans will be wondering after the game against Falkirk, which the Hoops lost 2-0.

Unfortunately, the result would not have come as a surprise to most who have been keeping up with what has been a very poor campaign from Celtic so far.

Martin O'Neill's side have now won just three of their previous 10 games across all competitions. That is nowhere near good enough for a club like Celtic.

Most fans believe that it is simply not working with O'Neill, and a change is needed. Yet, it is not expected that the board will make a decision anytime soon.

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Even O'Neill's biggest supporters are now starting to raise questions about the manager, one of them being Chris Sutton.

Chris Sutton questions Martin O'Neill role in Celtic struggles

Sutton played extensively under O'Neill during their time together at Celtic. Understandably, he has a lot of respect for the manager.

That being said, Sutton is almost always brutally honest about things and he did not hold back when discussing the current issues that Celtic are facing at the moment.

As reported by Sky Sports, Sutton said: "They weren't great in the week and I still don't think Martin O'Neill knows his best XI.

"There's not an area of the team or the club that is functioning as it should this season and that's a problem.

"There's this big debate about Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham and their coaching, or is it on Martin?

"This is all on Martin because he employs the coaches and he will ask them to play and train in a certain way.

"It's hard to see how Celtic are actually set up. It's a bit off the cuff - get the ball to Hassan and hope he can do something.

"That's the way it has been essentially all season."

Is the Celtic squad to blame?

It is hard to argue with Sutton or anything he has said here. Then again, one could argue that O'Neill has not been handed a good enough squad.

Over the summer, they lost starting-level players like Daizen Maeda, Kelechi Iheanacho, Arne Engels and Reo Hatate. Even Marcelo Saracchi was an important part of the squad last season. They could even do with someone like Julian Araujo right now.

That is a lot of talent that left. And in return, not enough was brought in. The only summer signing that has proven to be a genuine quality addition so far is Camilo Duran. The jury is still out on pretty much everybody else.

At the end of the day, this is not ideal for anybody. Celtic are struggling for results. And being in charge of this team, in what is almost certain to be his last chapter in management, is not the happy ending that O'Neill would have hoped for, and deserved.

O'Neill had gotten his fairy-tale ending last season, winning a league and cup double. It included a win on the final day of the league campaign to overtake Hearts, and a Scottish Cup final triumph against a Neil Lennon-managed opposition.

It was perfect. But then, O'Neill ended up taking the job on a permanent basis for another season and it has all fallen apart over the past few months. Hopefully, this campaign does not end up having a negative impact on his overall legacy at Celtic Park.

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