Martin O'Neill Has to Drop Abysmal Player if Celtic Are to Win Title – His Stats Were Dreadful vs Falkirk

Celtic's new manager Martin O'Neill faces mounting pressure after a gritty 1-0 win over Falkirk on January 14, 2026, in the Scottish Premiership. Despite securing three points at Falkirk Stadium, O'Neill admitted it was a "tough evening" and highlighted glaring weaknesses in the squad, particularly calling for midfield improvements and a new striker[3][4][5].

Benjamin Nygren's goal sealed the narrow victory, but the performance drew criticism for lacking fluency compared to Celtic's previous 4-0 thrashing of Dundee United[4][6]. O'Neill, in post-match interviews with Celtic TV and Sky Sports, urged fans to "cut me a little bit of slack" while stressing high expectations for midfielders, saying, "My expectation of midfield players is very very high. I've played with some really great midfield players"[1][2][4]. He pinpointed one unnamed midfielder's abysmal stats against Falkirk—low pass completion, zero key passes, and poor defensive contributions—as a major concern, arguing this player must be dropped if Celtic are to challenge for the title in a "dog fight" season[1][3].

Transfer urgency dominates headlines. With the January window nearing its close, O'Neill confirmed interest in Slovenian striker Franko Kovacevic, who has 25 goals this season for Celje, remarking humorously, "I only looked about four and a half minutes at that – not bad, I have only been here a week!"[5]. Celtic desperately need a center-forward to bolster their attack amid fan dissatisfaction[5]. O'Neill emphasized, "In terms of scoring goals, absolutely," while noting lots to improve overall[4].

Upcoming fixtures include an away Scottish Cup tie against Inverleckbot on January 18 and a UEFA Europa League clash with Bologna on January 22, testing the squad's depth[2][5]. Pundits warn that without ruthless changes—like benching the underperforming midfielder—and swift signings, Celtic risks faltering in the title race[1][3]. O'Neill's pragmatic plea for patience underscores the rebuild ahead[1].

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