Martin O'Neill gives next Celtic manager strong advice amid disunity at club

Interim boss O’Neill watched on from the top table at Friday’s stormy Celtic annual general meeting as shareholders booed chairman Peter Lawwell and directors amid chants of “sack the board” and red cards directed at them from the floor.

Lawwell was forced to adjourn and then abandon proceedings after members of the crowd took umbrage at a speech from Ross Desmond - delivered on behalf of his father and major shareholder Dermot Desmond - where he labelled some Celtic supporters “bullies” for their recent behaviour and conduct.

O’Neill called the whole affair “a sad day” - but believes that whoever comes in to replace Brendan Rodgers on a permanent basis can wash their hands of the disharmony.

French coach Wilfried Nancy is on the brink of being appointed as Celtic thrash out a compensation package with Columbus Crew for him and his coaching staff. O’Neill is set to be in charge of Thursday’s Europa League clash away at Feyenoord and potentially Sunday’s Premiership game at Hibs before in all probability handing over to Nancy - and had words of wisdom for the next man in charge.

“I think that the new manager coming in, I think that he should divorce himself from all those proceedings,” said O’Neill. “This is a fresh start for him. He hasn't been party to anything that's happened in recent times.

“So just let's say it was me, I'd be saying, 'yeah, that's got nothing to do with me'. I have to try and win some football games and then maybe at some stage or another, if we can get a real team together that can go and compete, not just domestically, but obviously in European football. Well, that would be his job.

“He's got a fresh start. He's going in to step into something that really has been none of his concern. And that's the way I would be approaching it. And it's not like passing the buck. It's just saying, ‘well, sorry, that's not my making’. My making now is to put Celtic back in the game.”

‘Sooner unity, the better’

Celtic required a stoppage-time winner against St Mirren last weekend to win 1-0 and O’Neill voiced his displeasure at disunity from the stands. He accepted that the longer the rancour continues, the more it will affect the team. “On a longer term basis, I think you might have a point,” the 73-year-old added. “And the sooner that this unity comes back to Celtic, the better.”

Celtic captain Callum McGregor has been trying to insulate the squad from the off-field drama that is engulfing the club right now.

“It’s probably a little bit easier for the players,” the 32-year-old said. “We live in our own wee bubble anyway in terms of preparing for games. We’re trying to protect that as much as we can, saying to players not to listen too much to the outside noise.

“Of course some of it filters in a little bit. But the only thing we can affect is winning games of football and if we can do that, hopefully that will realign the supporters, the team, the club, everyone moving forward. Because Celtic is a much stronger entity when everyone is pushing in the same direction.”