Martin O’Neill wants Celtic to learn from the mistakes made this season — as he hinted that he might be willing play a part in the club’s future.
The veteran takes his side to Dens Park on Sunday knowing nothing less than a win will do in the Premiership title race.
Trailing Hearts and Rangers with seven league games remaining, a hitherto troubled campaign has seen three different managers in charge of a squad which has seen its quality diluted.
With the situation exacerbated by fans and the board being at loggerheads, O’Neill believes it’s imperative that all concerned evaluate their own actions across the past year to ensure the club now pushes forward.
Asked if he’d strong views on what needed to be done, he said: ‘I think this season is an eye-opener for us in that way, in every aspect.
‘I think it’s something that a real proper sit-down and discussing what’s happened this season in every aspect and maybe try and unify the club again, which would be fantastic.
Martin O’Neill believes the club must look within in order to make big improvements
‘I think that in itself is a major thing in terms of who would be in charge.
‘You’re hoping that the recruitment would be vitally important and try and learn from the things that we didn’t do well this year.
‘Look, the club itself should be doing these things towards the end of every season anyway, to see where you’re going.
‘But this particular season has been something of a wake-up call for us all.
‘For us to get back winning, we have to looked see where we can make real, big improvements.’
Due to leave when his second interim spell expires at the end of the season, O’Neill hasn’t yet held discussions with the club’s executives to see what the summer might hold.
‘Not in any formal sense,’ he added. ‘It’s just almost like casual … we didn’t sit down to discuss the things.
‘But I’m quite sure that over the next week or two, if they were asking my opinion about what I thought might be necessary — fine.
‘They can take my opinion or not, as the case may be. It would only be an opinion.’
Although O’Neill is set to leave the club for a third time next month, he didn’t rule out the possibility of remaining in some capacity — either as manager on in an advisory role.
The manager would like to see an end to the friction between the fans and those in charge
‘I honestly do not know that. I genuinely do not know that at all,’ he said.
‘It’s not that I don’t want to. Even when we had a little bit of time last week, where we could have had time to do something, I didn’t have a conversation with Michael (Nicholson) on that score.
‘But I think I will speak to Michael and Dermot (Desmond) at some stage or another.
‘I would think, generally, we would all feel the same about what would be needed to get us back on top.’
Pressed on whether he was open to staying as manager, he said: ‘We have the next seven weeks…
‘One, it’s never been discussed and, two, I wouldn’t have been expecting to discuss it.
‘Three, I wouldn’t want anyone putting that thought in anyone’s head.
‘These next results are the most important thing.
‘What are we, third favourites to win the league at this minute? Let’s say the league didn’t happen and we didn’t win the Cup or get to the final. I think that would be a really easy decision for them to make about someone like me.’
However, O’Neill was more forthcoming on the prospect of perhaps staying at Celtic Park in an overseeing/support role.
Celtic’s defeat at Dundee Utd last time out has put them on the back foot in the title race
‘Hypothetically, put it like this,’ he said. ‘Let’s say there was a new manager coming in and I’m at the club in some capacity.
‘Let’s say, for instance, as an advisor to the board, whatever that means.
‘If I was the new manager coming in, I probably wouldn’t mind who was on the board and who wasn’t — as long as there was a committee for signing players and as long as the manager would have the final say. I would think that could work.
‘There obviously has to be affordability, but as long as the manager — whoever that may be — has the final say then I think things could work.
‘And also, I think the manager coming in would be hoping that someone, like an old figure like me, would be on his side.
‘If I was stepping in now as a 45-year-old manager, those are the things I’d like.
‘I’d ask for the final say, if we could afford the player, and would the man advising the board be on my side?’
Despite the side regressing across the past year, O’Neill firmly believes that the situation can be turned around quickly if the right steps are taken.
‘From my own viewpoint, the short answer to that is yes, I do,’ he stated. ‘Money’s dictating everything. But in short, I think, recruitment would be very, very important.
‘Unification of the football club would be great. Getting people on the same side.’
Defender Alistair Johnston’s long-awaited return from injury has been delayed
Meanwhile, O’Neill has revealed that Alistair Johnston’s return after hamstring surgery has been pushed back after the Canadian felt a reaction while doing light training with his national team last week.
‘In the wider scheme of things, for the length of time he’s been out, hopefully it’s not too bad,’ O’Neill said.
‘But it has delayed things a little bit here.’
O’Neill has allayed fears that Jota’s playing days might be over — almost a year on from the winger rupturing his cruciate ligament.
‘If Celtic fans are worried because of the length of time he’s taken, I’d try and assure them that he will recover from this,’ he added.
